


A CERTAIN SEARCH AFTER TRUTH

by whwsms



Category: Toaru Majutsu no Index | A Certain Magical Index
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Mystery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-23
Updated: 2019-04-13
Packaged: 2019-11-28 14:20:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 89,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18209453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whwsms/pseuds/whwsms
Summary: Slight AU, including deviation from the climax of events of Index NT Volume 17. A decision is reached, both for personal reasons, as well as a possible counter-measure, should the current tensions between the Science and Magic Sides escalate to all-out conflict; the secrets behind the mysterious power known as Imagine Breaker must be acquired by its current bearer, Kamijou Touma. Originally posted over at Fanfiction's Toaru Majutsu No Index Archive. This story was actually completed before the release of Index NT Volume 18, and therefore has no connection with the contents of NT 18 and other subsequent novels. Except for any punctuation or grammatical tweaks if sighted, will reproduce this word-for word.Also, except for any original characters and situations introduced within this story, all characters and situations depicted herein are © KAZUMA KAMACHI/ASCII MEDIA WORKS/PROJECT-INDEX.





	1. A Conversation Upon A Rooftop

Chapter 1 - A Conversation Upon A Rooftop

Although snow has not yet begun to fall, the cold weather currently being experienced in Academy City was typical for this time of year. Everywhere one looked, life as is generally known in this sprawling metropolis was slowly yet steadily returning to its normal state, or at least as normal as it was, before the various incidents involving those mysterious monsters known simply as Elements and the machinations of one Kihara Yuiitsu, even if the masses may have had no idea of the underlying causes of said incidents. However, it is safe to say that not everything was fitting back into their previous state.

As communications were gradually restored, suddenly and inexplicably, a mysterious and controversial piece of information became available and accessible to the general public; a document called the Parameter List. Even if one was not particularly "techno-savvy" (for want of a better term), the more persons who put their collective heads together to even try to unravel the contents of this List, the more at least two significant facts became open if not common knowledge; (1) it seemed that the List contained details of the possibility for every esper student currently in Academy City with regard to their development of their ability via the Power Curriculum Program, and (2) perhaps of more significance to some than others, it was clearly indicated that it was a matter of what was stipulated as "the long-term strategic plans for the growth and maintenance of Academy City" (most of those who professed to study the List interpreted that statement as: "whether it was worth it, financially", and they were at least partially right in their conclusions), whether any one of the millions of espers currently living there would move beyond their present Level.

Of course, such a revelation was a figurative slap in the faces of the hundreds of thousands of espers, many of whom were seemingly stuck at Level 0; manifesting practically no ability whatsoever. It made the oft-times publicized well-meant cheers and encouragements of higher-Level espers such as the Railgun appear to be lies and hypocrisy. Naturally, some took the revelation harder than others, falling into depression, even resentment. With increasing frequency, the two organizations responsible on the whole for maintaining law and order, as well as upkeeping public security, Judgement and, on occasion, Anti-Skill, had to face-off against disgruntled espers who, whether as individuals or in groups such as many of the more hard-nosed factions of Skill-Out, made their public outcries against their interpretation of the Parameter List vociferously, and sometimes with disorder, which sooner or later erupted into outright violence. And, as to be expected, the public disavowals issued by Academy City's Board Of Directors against the leak of the Parameter List were dismissed as a feeble attempt to cover up the matter. Neither was there to date any official word from the City's General Superintendent on the subject.

 

Over at A Certain High School, the general mood among the populace was similar to almost any other location. The Parameter List became the subject of much discussion and debate; more often than not outside of the standard education curriculum. At this immediate moment, one particular class - Year 1, Class 7 - was supposed to be engaged in a self-study period. Currently, Tsukuyomi Komoe was wavering in and out of periodic bouts of depression, at seeing the reactions of her students to the implications of the Parameter List. Himegami Aisa was at her side, trying, but apparently having little success in bolstering Komoe-sensei's spirits.

Suddenly, the only member of the Delta Force present, Aogami Pierce, rose from his seat with a declaration to all present: "Well, my classmates; there's possibly one good thing that comes out of all this." As others in the class turned to look at him, Aogami continued, with a smile and his trademark eyes wide shut: "In all likelihood, Kami-yan's ability to raise flags with girls remains unaff - BLLRRGGGKKK!" ... the sentence was never finished, as with a blur of speed, something slammed into the back of his head, causing him to collapse onto his desk, having been rendered immediately unconscious.

"We're all facing a serious issue, here, and you're going on with this flag-raising nonsense?" growled Fukiyose Seiri, Year 1 Class 7's self-appointed disciplinarian and general tamer of the Delta Force's antics. "At least those other two imbeciles aren't around to add more fuel to the fire." Seiri continued, speaking perhaps more to herself than to anyone else. Yet, things were not as cut-and-dried as they might seem.

Like many others, Seiri had, in her own way, taken the revelations of the Parameter List with a mixture of shock and indignation at the implication that one or more forces totally beyond her control or influence determined whether she herself would advance any further as an Esper. Interestingly enough, she considered it not her business to pry into the data on other people, yet, arising out of the recently-concluded incidents involving the Elements, and having observed that he seemed to have some sort of effect upon them, she finally sought out and perused the specific data on Kamijou Touma within the Parameter List. This seemed to only raise more questions than any being answered.

To make an otherwise long story short, Kamijou's data contained mention of something given the name: "Imagine Breaker", which she presumed was akin to the name Espers assigned to their ability; however, the accompanying write-up contained countless references to "insufficient data" and "unquantifiable factors", that, to be frank, unless Seiri attained sufficient scientific knowledge, its content was at present over and above her current intellectual capacity. It was clearly indicated that Kamijou neither demonstrated nor manifested an AIM Field, which at first sight contradicted all that she had learned and studied via the Power Curriculum Program. Finally, there was a notation at the end of Kamijou's file, stipulating that "by directive of the Board Of Directors and the General Superintendent", he was assigned the rank of Level 0 - a notation that was absent from her own file. Part of her considered whether she should raise the issue with Touma directly, but at the same time, she felt conflicted that her initial and to date maintained judgement of Touma being a slacker who used the notion of "misfortune" as an excuse for his lack of advancement might no longer be substantial, in the light of what had been revealed. Simply put, Seiri was at a loss of whether to pursue the matter of Kamijou any further, and if she should decide to do so, how.

 

Around the time that all this was taking place within Class 7, Kamijou Touma was by himself seated upon the lone bench situated on the rooftop of the main school building. Like most other student residents of Academy City, he had browsed the contents of the Parameter List, all the while restricting himself to the specific data concerning himself. He had no particular feeling one way or another regarding his being assigned the rank of Level 0. It's no real surprise; Touma had been through countless tests and assessments, since his arrival and enrollment - even if due to the incident of July 28th, he no longer had any memory of anything before that date - at the end of which it had always been declared that he had no AIM field, which, according to the Power Curriculum Program, says that he had not developed any esper ability. And yet, there is, for want of a better word, something within his right hand - something that defies being analyzed or quantified even by the super-technology of Academy City - something known only by the name given to it:

Imagine Breaker.

Rather, what concerned any internal monologue on Touma's part at the moment was his own self-reflection that, for roughly the better part of the past six months, since the loss of his memories before July 28th, he had pressed on or stumbled through many diverse experiences - the arrival of the silver-haired girl known as Index Librorum Prohibitorum into his life, his discovery of and introduction to the subject of Magic, the Number One Level Five Esper known as Accelerator and the Sisters Project, Angel Fall, the Level Six Shift attempt taking place during the Daihasei Festival, the Agitate Halation incident, Aqua of the Back and God's Right Seat, involvement in the affairs of the British Royal Family, embroilment in World War III and many others - without any real knowledge of just what Imagine Breaker is. He even recalled a time where, after one of these incidents, he had decided that he would seek to discover more about that which resides in his right hand, but even that endeavor had met with limited success or headway to date.

Immersed in his own reflection, Touma did not sense the presence of someone approaching him, until they were literally right behind him. It would probably have been no surprise if he had been discovered by one of the school's teachers, as generally, students were not allowed on the roof without either permission or supervision. In this instance - what some, observing, if not necessarily knowing, how Touma's life tended to go, might consider a rare bout of good luck - that was not the case.

"Kamijou-kun?" A voice called out. A girl's voice.

As if awakening from deep sleep, Kamijou slowly turned towards the apparent source of the voice. Indeed, a girl was standing behind him, or perhaps more correctly, a young woman. Some might consider it a crime to describe her as just "a girl". This was the unofficial idol of A Certain High School; drop-dead beautiful, mysterious, among the top students in her year, generally referred to especially by many male students (oft-times in less-than-wholesome ways) as the "Beauty-Sempai" ...

Kumokawa Seria.

After about two seconds, a light appeared in Touma's eyes as he recognized who had come behind him, at which point, he replied to her greeting: "Oh, ... hello, Kumokawa-sempai."

"You seem wrapped in deep thought as I approached you. Perhaps the major subject of the day has got your attention?" inquired Seria, with just a hint of teasing in her voice.

To which, Touma responded: "Not really - I'm probably more concerned with other things, such as addressing my attendance record and all the make-up work I need to do to avoid being left back for a year. Plus, there's nothing in that report about me that I haven't encountered before, and, although I'll admit to considering it, I've no intention of looking up information on other people without their consent."

 _'Such is to be expected of you, my cute kouhai.'_ was Seria's un-worded appraisal of his consideration for the privacy of others. Of course, she knew to a certain degree of some (if not all) of his many disappearances from classes over the last six months, if not for a period of time before that (many of which concluded with trips to Heaven Canceller's hospital), and, to a point, she was sympathetic to the fact that, to put it in general terms, saving individuals, Academy City, even the world from trouble would not count as suitable grounds to excuse his absenteeism.

Suddenly, Touma skirted to one side of the bench: "Oh, you can have a seat if you'd like, unless you weren't planning to stay very long."

"Hmm, ... then please excuse me." replied Seria, moving to sit alongside him, while actually hiding her delight at being in rather close proximity to Kamijou; such moments being rare occurrences.

For a few seconds, no further words were exchanged, until Seria, all the while noticing a far-away look in Touma's eyes, took the conversation in a different direction, with her next query: "Do excuse me for being somewhat forward, Kamijou-kun, but by any chance, might one of those 'other things' holding your attention be ... Imagine Breaker?"

Touma twitched, imperceptibly to some, but definitely noticed by Kumokawa, at the mention of the phrase. He seemed to tense up for a few seconds, then let himself relax. Turning to Seria, he stated: "To be honest, there are not many people who have any idea about what that term means, especially around me. Would you care to share what you know about it, sempai?"

Seria's mind was already in motion, processing how to reply. Naturally, it would be risky both to Touma as well as to herself to reveal her position as an "advisor" to one of Academy City's Directors, but at the same time, she'd never forgive herself if she said or did anything that could drive a wedge between her and the young man she secretly liked, or more significantly ...

_'Careful, Kumokawa ... the last thing you want is to give up your current advantage too easily ...'_

In the end, choosing to be as honest as she felt she could be, without revealing everything about her extra-curricular activities, Seria answered his question: "What I'm about to tell you may be considered rather sensitive information, Kamijou-kun ..."

Touma interrupted swiftly: "H-hey, it's all right, sempai; if it's like that, maybe it's safer to keep that to yourself ..."

"It's fine," Seria replied, "It's just that, at this moment, if I'm going to touch on the subject, it's probably better that I be as open with you, as I can; plus I feel I can trust you to keep what I say to yourself."

Receiving a firm nod from Touma, signifying his agreement to confidentiality on his part, Seria continued: "Aside from my being a student, I do work with someone on the City's Board Of Directors. Thereby, once in a while I come across certain bits of information, that, as you can guess, doesn't immediately get revealed to the public, if it's revealed at all. As you might guess, some things probably should not be revealed, as their revelation often does more harm than good."

"Uh, sorry to interrupt again, sempai." came Touma's interjection, "but, does that mean that, under normal circumstances, this Parameter List should probably not be public knowledge as it is now?"

"Correct," came back Seria. "Somehow, it had been leaked, and, to be honest, I have no idea how it happened, or who might have done it." - silently thinking to herself: _'... although I do have a suspicion or two.'_

Touma's response in kind was: "Well, I won't pry into your private affairs, sempai, but I do want to know what you know about Imagine Breaker."

To which Seria replied: "I've picked up one or two things from various sources, but at the same time, I'm not versed in advanced science like those who run or administer the Power Curriculum Program, so most of those explanations go over my head. The only thing I'll admit to understanding about Imagine Breaker is that it's something capable of negating esper abilities. Am I on track, or am I off, Kamijou-kun?"

Touma mulled a bit, before replying. "You are on track, Kumokawa-sempai. I can't claim much knowledge on the matter myself, but I've come to look at Imagine Breaker as ... something residing within my right hand. As far as I know, it's not an esper ability, and I'm told after every check-up that it's not possible to measure or analyze, even by the technology present in this City. But you are right on that point ... whatever it is, it's capable of negating esper abilities - it can even negate so-called supernatural things. One might even go so far, if one professed to believe in some Higher Power, that it can even negate GOD's blessings.

There was a moments's silence before Touma continued: "Heh, ... sorry if that sounded weird; talking about GOD and supernatural things, especially in a place like this where just about everything is governed by science."

"Oh no, I don't think it 'weird' at all, Kamijou-kun". Seria replied: "On the contrary, while I myself might not profess to believe in some Higher Power, I consider myself open-minded enough to accept that, just maybe, there are some things that either may not, or cannot be answered by science, or perhaps by science as we now know it. Also, do keep in mind, Kamijou-kun, that most if not all of the bells and whistles and flashy stuff to be seen in Academy City is not the totality of what science is."

Touma broke into a grin. "Such wisdom is to be expected of our school's Beauty-Sempai; Perhaps I should seriously consider requesting you to tutor me in my make-up lessons. It'll probably be my best chance of passing the year."

Whether unconsciously or deliberately, Touma missed the pink flush that momentarily broke out on Seria's face, nor did he noticed her eyes opening wide or her short yet sharp intake of breadth upon hearing his last comment. On the other hand, Kumokawa's mind for a few seconds almost suffered the equivalent of a software system crash at the possibility of spending time with the secret object of her affections ...

_'Wait, What? ... did he just consider asking me to tutor him? ... I know he wasn't very serious right then ... but he's not one to tease a girl ... maybe I should volunteer to tutor ... oh, wait, perhaps I should approach the matter through Komoe-sensei; yes, it's more proper ...'_

"Uh, sempai ... are you all right?" Touma asked, leaning in a bit close.

Something seemed to click in Seria's mind, thereby bringing her back to so-called reality, but not before she registered Touma's face closer to her own than what may transpire in a normal conversation. Taking a deep breadth, she regained at least a major measure of her composure.

"Er, we were on the subject of Imagine Breaker, weren't we?" Seria continued, doing her best to hide her flustered state. "Oh, your last comment about supernatural things and GOD's blessings - as I said, I don't profess deep belief in those things, but ... could that be why your life seems to go as it often does? Like that time you were at the water cooler. I recall others before you used it without any problem, but when you tried to, it virtually exploded in your face, soaking you from head to toe." It was all Seria could do to avoid breaking out into laughter, although laughter could be heard in her voice as she recalled that moment.

Touma tried his best not to face-palm at the recall of that incident, but with a deep sigh (at that sound, a brief picture popped into Seria's mind, where she'd either pat Touma on his back, or give him a hug, as if to say: "There, There") he replied: "What you just described, on comparison, was probably one of the less misfortunate things that happen to me, on a regular if not a daily basis."

"Daily?" inquired Seria. "I mean, it's not that you and I see each other regularly, so I have little knowledge of what happens to you, except if I should hear about it, later."

To which Touma replied: "Perhaps I don't dwell for long on the things that happen - debit cards getting eaten by ATM's, tripping on an otherwise empty pavement and my groceries fall into a drain, dogs ignoring everyone else and deciding to chase me with harmful intent, umbrellas seeming to self-destruct in the midst of a heavy rainstorm, being the target of birds flying overhead, if you know what I mean - if I did dwell on them for long, I'd probably be depressed to the point of becoming a shut-in, and even then my dorm might catch fire or something." Seria was staring long and hard at Touma as this revelation of even a brief description of what he put up with came forth, and something stirred within her; for a while, she knew not what.

Touma continued: "I'm not just saying this for you or anyone else to have pity on me - I'm merely stating things as they have occurred. To make a long story short, sempai, things which I can only describe as unfortunate happen to me on a regular basis. It's been that way as far as I can remember ... I've probably got no way to explain why it should be so, but perhaps I've come to accept that, no matter what, sooner or later something bad is going to happen to me. I'm sure there are persons out there like Fukiyose who would reject that outlook; I've heard it often from her that there's no such thing as good luck or bad luck, and that if bad things happen to a person, it's somehow their fault. Well, that is her opinion, and I don't consider it my right to change it ... I'm the one living my life, so I'm pretty much aware of what takes place, and not all of it is pleasant."

With ever-increasing awareness of an uncomfortable feeling seemingly welling up within her, Seria raised another point: "If this is considered too personal, you don't have to answer it, Tou ... Kamijou-kun", almost addressing Touma by his first name, "but does that explain why, just based on observation, you don't seem to have a girlfriend right now?" Seria's face flushed slightly as she finished uttering that last question.

Touma seemed to gaze into the distance for a few seconds before replying: "It's all right; we're supposed to be adults if not close to that level, so we should be able to talk about such things rather openly." he admitted with what appeared to Seria to be a small grin on his face, "... although Komoe-sensei might be the first to insist that students should not be considering such things, until after they graduate." A small smile formed on Seria's own face as Touma went on. "If I don't talk much about the subject of my being single, it's probably because as far as I can remember, no-one has ever asked me about that ... except perhaps Tsuchimikado and Aogami, and I recognize that it would be a very bad idea to divulge anything in that area to those two ... it would probably lead to some truly unpleasant consequences soon afterwards. As for me, I'd be lying if I said I never gave the idea of my getting into that sort of relationship any thought ... but, while I've pretty much gotten used to what I'd call my misfortunate life, if I did get a girlfriend, chances are she'd get caught up in all the crap ... pardon the term ... that happens to me. I just wouldn't feel comfortable putting such a burden on anyone else; it's rough enough as it is dealing with it, myself."

 _'So, he's actually seeking to shield others from his misfortune.'_ was the thought now running across Seria's mind; a thought which seemed to carry two conflicting feelings along with it: admiration (or possibly something more) that Touma would go to such lengths to protect others around him from getting caught up in his less-than-pleasant experiences, coupled with frustration at his apparent willingness to shoulder those experiences all by himself. To her, it just didn't seem fair or right.

Before another word could be exchanged, an electronic-generated melody broke the momentary silence between the two teenagers. Seria recognized the sound as a notification of an incoming e-mail coming from her smartphone. She also noticed upon, so-to-say, coming back to reality, that the physical distance between Touma and herself while seated on the bench had somewhat closed in the ten or so minutes they had been there - if Touma had noticed something similar, he gave no indication of it.

Glancing briefly at her phone to read the notification, Seria sighed and said: "Duty calls, apparently, so it looks like this conversation of ours is over."; all the while a part of her wished that it was not so.

"I guess life is like that at times." replied Touma, "although, I'm willing to admit it ... I enjoyed talking about things like we just did; granted that most of what we talked about probably can't be considered regular topics for conversations."

"Well, shall we proceed to re-enter the high school life then, Kamijou-kun?" was Seria's next question, as they both rose from the bench and headed towards the stairwell door.

"I guess so, ... although ..." Touma responded, "the thought just came to me that, perhaps you should go on ahead of me." On seeing Seria raise an eyebrow, he continued: "Knowing my tendency for misfortune, if certain people saw us coming down from the roof stairwell together, we'd probably both end up as the target of rumors, and not the pleasant kind, either."

 _'You're being noble again, and in all likelihood, you're not even aware of how charming your actions are.'_ Seria thought to herself with a smile. "You might have a point there, so this time around (she grinned at the insinuation of the phrase 'this time around', suspecting that Kamijou probably wouldn't pick up on it - at least not this moment), this sempai will follow the suggestion offered by her kouhai."

"It's not a problem, Kumokawa-sempai."

"Oh, ... I feel obliged to mention one last thing before I take my leave." said Seria, slowly yet steadily moving closer to Touma than he would otherwise expect. "While you may have a point that it might be a difficult task to find a person who's willing to be at your side, especially during your moments of misfortune, I'd like to suggest that you keep your eyes and ears open, Touma-kun."

If the sudden use of his first name seemed to have the effect of momentarily freezing Touma into immobility, the next move on Seria's part - a gentle touch of her lips upon his cheek - certainly snapped him out of it.

**"Such a person may actually be closer to you, than you yet realize."**

With that parting sentence, coupled with a gentle smile, Kumokawa Seria took her departure.

It took the better part of a minute or two before Kamijou Touma descended the roof stairwell, all the while trying to assimilate all that had transpired upon a rooftop on a cold afternoon.


	2. Simultaneous Developments

From the privacy of her "office" (used in her part-time activities as advisor to one of Academy City's Board Directors), Kumokawa Seria, having activated a rather sophisticating anti-surveillance system, proceeded to read the e-mail sent to her earlier that afternoon:

"I've finished going over the materials that you both sent me. Should I forward my findings or should we meet."

After musing for about a minute, Seria sent an e-mail to the sender: "We should probably meet. Will work out a suitable location, then I'll arrange your being present. Will notify her, also."

Within a few seconds, the sender of the e-mail replied back: "Agreed. Now, as to that other matter, what sort of time frame are we working with?"

Seria's reply: "As of now, we have a three-week period before the official school term ends. There's still the chance that the City could impose some sort of curfew, or even declare martial law to lock down things while they deal with the unrest, but I fully intend to make this work, by any honest and legal means possible."

Sender: "A woman determined to fight for her man can be either a beautiful or a scary thing." (followed by a few heart symbols).

Seria (in response): "The same could probably be said of you, and her also. Right - enough with the idle banter; let's get to it."

 

In a private room located within what is generally referred to as Heaven Canceller's hospital, A Certain Level Five Electromaster Esper was sitting upright in bed, with her phone in one hand, gazing out the window. To make a long story short, at this moment, Misaka Mikoto's current mode of thought was, for want of another term, not a pretty sight. Most if not all of the more detrimental effects resulting from her being struck down by an as-yet unknown malady during the Kihara Yuiitsu affair have been negated by Heaven Canceller's treatments, and, after a further period of rest, she should probably be discharged within the next two to three days. However, the thought of returning to so-called "everyday activity" was soured in Mikoto's mind by two things - she still remembered how School Garden was raided and ransacked by supposedly "ordinary citizens" of Academy City, just after an onslaught of the Elements which rendered many of its residents besides herself as patients in this hospital. And, if that wasn't enough cause for frustration, there was the Parameter List. Deep within Mikoto's mind and heart, her genuine beliefs that her achievement in becoming the Railgun was due to hard work were dealt a serious blow. For a moment, she was questioning what people now thought of her encouragements - whether private or public - to lower-level espers. Niggling suggestions were, so-to-say, bubbling up within her as to whether she was ever truly her own person, or had an ugly truth been revealed that even a Level Five Esper was merely a cog, and probably one of many cogs, in someone else's plan.

Suddenly, a knock on her door interrupted Mikoto's musings. Although she really felt like being alone at the moment, out of courtesy, Mikoto responded: "Come In."

In what turned out to be a rather unexpected turn of events, the person who entered was probably the last one she expected to visit her under most circumstances ... it was Academy City's Fifth Level Five Esper, Shokuhou Misaki.

"Good Evening, Misaka-san", said Misaki, at the moment displaying none of what Mikoto considered her trademark "ojou-sama"-like behavior, which more often than not irritated her to no end. "I apologize for not calling first, but I thought I should drop by for a minute or so, before I depart ... that is, if you are up to receiving a visitor at this moment."

"Uh, I suppose a minute or two couldn't hurt." was Mikoto's reply, again more out of courtesy than anything else. "I presume that you have been discharged, yourself."

"True." was Misaki's response, "and with that, I've decided to rejoin those who have already returned to Tokiwadai. No doubt, there is much restoration still to be done, but at times like this, those who can lend a hand in any way should perhaps do so."

Although she didn't think any reaction showed on her face, Mikoto was to say the least rather mystified that Shokuhou, known for avoidance of strenuous activity wherever and whenever she could, now seemed willing to accept the possibility of, so-to-say, getting physically involved in whatever clean-up and restoration work awaited the inhabitants of School Garden and Tokiwadai as a whole.

"Perhaps the recent events have brought about changes that up till now no-one might have ever considered possible." said Mikoto, commenting perhaps more on what appeared to be Shokuhou's apparent change in behavior, than anything else at the moment.

"Or, if I may continue from where you seemed to be heading, with regard to all that has recently happened, everyone - ourselves included - can either simply react to it all, or respond. And in both our respective ways, we know there is a difference between the two courses of action." was Misaki's next statement.

Something more might have been said, when suddenly, Misaki's smartphone gave off a ringtone that notified her of an incoming message. "Please excuse me a moment, Misaka-san," Misaki stated, as she glanced at her phone; after a few seconds, she returned it to her purse, as she resumed speaking: "Well, I think it best I end my visit here and now. No doubt we will see each other in some way or form when you have fully recovered and are discharged. I suppose anything that we may want to talk about can wait until then."

"I suppose so," was Mikoto's response, all the while pondering why Misaki continued to refrain from her usual mannerisms, especially when dealing with her rival "in various ways". Something along that train of thought prompted her to speak up: "Just one thing before you leave, Shokuhou-san ... that young man who was among us for a while during the Elements' attacks; by any chance do you happen to know him?"

For a space of a few seconds, there was no reply from Misaki, although, if Mikoto trusted her judgement at that point, Misaki seemed in that space of silence to be focused on some far-off place, after which she replied simply: "That young man you're referring to ... now that I look back, I don't recall whether anyone got his name ... he seemed to remind me of someone I once knew a long time ago; someone who is now long gone ... that's all."

"Maybe I'm just not used to Shokuhou behaving in this way, but there's something in her reply to my question that seems rather cryptic." was Mikoto's unspoken response, for now rather glad that her own ability rendered her immune to a telepath's power. "Oh well, once I'm back out there, I'll consider pressing the matter further."

With a short bow, Misaki turned to leave: "Good-bye for now, Misaka-san"; to which Mikoto's responded, short and simply: "Good-bye, Shokuhou-san"

After having closed the door to Mikoto's room, and proceeding to the hospital exit, Misaki waited until she had literally left the building, before reaching for her phone, and looking at the message notification, noting particularly the name of the sender of the message ... someone with whom Misaki had a history, as well as a connection ...

... Kumokawa Seria.

 

Within the dormitory quarters currently assigned to one Kamijou Touma, there was a strange mood in the air. That afternoon's conversation, which ended with a kiss ... on his cheek only, but nonetheless from, arguably, the most desirable girl in his school, plus the hint that, quite possibly, she was willing to be alongside him and his crazy misfortunate life, ... such a thing would naturally seek to assert dominance in the mind of a supposedly healthy young man. For now, however, as much as Touma might have wanted to explore that subject further, he had been constantly reminding himself, even while preparing dinner for himself and his freeloaders - the silver-haired nun named Index, a calico kitten named Sphynx and a 15-cm tall former Magic God named Othinus - that he had more immediate and serious issues to address; namely, the make-up work required to pass the current year. From a certain perspective, it is a daunting task for anyone, even without the potential handicaps of perpetual misfortune dogging his steps, courtesy of Imagine Breaker, plus the ever-present unrest throughout the city resulting from the leak of the Parameter List. Both Index and Othinus (and perhaps on some non-human level, Sphynx also) sensed that something is heavily on the mind of their "landlord", but for the moment, they held their respective opinions to themselves.

As dinner was concluded, Othinus gave her opinion on Touma's current situation: "From one point of view, human, it might be considered unfair that, even after all you've done for this City and even the world, that such a monumental task is set before you ... but then, such probably comes with being the bearer of the Imagine Breaker."

"Well," came Touma's reply, "I've been over it many times myself, but there's no getting away from it, so I am grateful that you and Index have decided to pitch in and help me as I get this done."

"It's only natural for a Sister to respond unselfishly to a call for help, as her calling demands of her." was Index's own comment, all the while emanating a strange glow.

"It's probably more like my promise to treat her to a feast if she helps in any way for me to get through this, but naturally we won't bring that up." whispered Touma to Othinus.

"Agreed." the former Magic God whispered back, "but still, it's only fair to note that anything can happen in the next three weeks, and, knowing Imagine Breaker, even to the limited extent that I do, even I have no way of predicting what could transpire."

The conversation might have gone further but was cut short via the sound of the doorbell to Touma's apartment. Immediately following the sound, a familiar voice rang out: "Kami-Yaaaannn!"

Both Touma and Othinus fought the urge to sigh aloud at recognizing the voice of Touma's neighbor, classmate, fellow Delta Force member and, er "friend of sorts", Tsuchimikado Motoharu. "I suppose I should see what he wants, although it better not be some call to deal with rogue magicians or anything like that; I have no time for that sort of thing now." muttered Touma, as he headed for the door.

"It might be a moot point to offer it to you of all people, human, but ... good luck." was Othinus's response.

What awaited the so-called Kamijou household upon the door being opened was certainly a surprise, to say the least. There stood Tsuchimikado, accompanied by his step-sister, Maika, both of their arms laden with rather large boxes. After recovering from the initial shock, Touma invited them both in, at which point, Tsuchimikado and Maika proceeded to the kitchen within Touma's apartment.

"Uh, ... so what's going on here, Tsuchimikado?" was all Touma could eventually get out, as even Index and Othinus were mystified at these strange going-on's.

"Oh, we're just dropping off the first set of supplies." came back Tsuchimikado, a strange glint of light reflecting off his sunglasses, even in the artificial light from the apartment.

"Supplies?", repeated Touma.

"Yes indeed, nya." came back Tsuchimikado, "and for roughly the next three weeks, you can ease off the cooking and housework to focus on your make-up lessons. Maika and a friend of hers will handle all that."

"Don't worry, Kamijou-san; my friend can be trusted to do a good job." Maika chipped in cheerfully.

On another occasion, perhaps, Tsuchimikado would've whipped out his phone to capture a picture of Touma's jaw drop at this development.

"It's, ... er, not that I mind all this, but seriously, what is this all about?" was Touma's next question, even as Maika began opening the boxes delivered and stocking Touma's kitchen cupboards, pantry and refrigerator, while Index was practically drooling at all the food being revealed.

"Oh, it's really quite simple," answered Motoharu. "It's known to a few folks who have requested to remain anonymous that your present, er, situation is due to getting involved in, shall we say, certain activities that required your presence elsewhere, nya." Tsuchimikado was obviously choosing his words carefully, so as not to reveal the existence of the Magic Side to Maika. "Therefore, a decision has been made that, as far as possible, once you finish normal school hours, you are to carry on with your make-up work. Maika's friend will handle things in the daytime, while Maika herself will take care of evenings."

After processing all this as best he could, Touma resigned himself to it: "Well, even I can see that this will be a big help to getting my work done, but I may as well say this; if this apartment ends up on some video-sharing site, or if I eat something one day, and wake up in a foreign country the next, you and I will have some ... words when next we meet." - the last part of that sentence came out in a rather serious tone.

"Now, now, Kami-Yan ... I assure you this is all above-board and legit, nya. Even with your ... unique talent, it can't be bad all the time, can it now?" said a grinning Tsuchimikdo. "Say, Index-san, maybe you should offer a prayer of thanksgiving for the bounty Kami-yan has just received."

Within seconds, the silver-haired nun seemed once again to be ablaze with a strange glowing light, as she clasped her hand together, saying with closed eyes and a blissful smile: "For what Touma has received this day, we give heartfelt thanks and praise to you, O LORD."

"Hmmph," muttered Othinus, speaking more to Touma than anyone else, "If those two are seriously going to go on about offering prayers, they should have waited until I gave them instructions on how to set up an altar to me ... like in the good old days."

"I'm not sure I want to know how that works", was Touma's whispered response back to the former Magic God, "and even if they did, might not my right hand and Imagine Breaker cancel out any blessings, as it usually seems to do?"

"It's the principle of the thing, you idiot human." fired back Othinus in an indignant tone.

"Well, our work for now is done, so Maika and I will take our leave. Do your best, Kami-Yan." cheered Tsuchimikado, as, true to his word, he and Maika departed for his apartment next door.

For about a minute no-one said a word after the Motoharu step-siblings left.

"Well, that was interesting." Touma finally intoned. "Seeing that it's here, we might as well make the most of it."

"True." came back Othinus, even as Index was giving Sphynx a tour of sorts of fully-laden cupboards - indeed a very rare sight in the Kamijou household.

After about 30 seconds, Kamijou headed for the laundry room, stating: "Maybe, I'll store some of these foodstuffs on the high shelves in the laundry room, just in case the plumbing in the kitchen should spring a leak or something; particularly anything that should not get wet before being prepared."

To which Othinus replied sagely: "Good thinking, human."

 

Three weeks later, ...

"How is he doing?" asked Tsuchimikado, standing at the door to Touma's apartment, to both Index and Othinus.

"He's so fast asleep, I doubt even the end of the world could awaken him right now. Been like that since you and that blue-haired weird one brought him home, roughly three hours ago." replied Othinus, perched atop Index's shoulder.

Tsuchimikado stated in response: "Well, from all indications, Kami-Yan "fought the good fight" and won, nya. The whole class would have otherwise taken him out to celebrate, but, seeing how he was absolutely spent, I thought it best to get him back home."

"Will Touma be all right ... and I'm not asking just because he promised to prepare a feast for us if we'd support him?" asked a somewhat nervous Index.

"Not to worry, Index-san. This is probably not much different from when Kami-Yan has a hospital stay after battling some rogue esper or magician, all the while rescuing another girl and adding her to his harem ..." Motoharu's tirade ended rather abruptly, as both Index's and Othinus's countenances darkened abruptly; their eyes glowed with menacing intent, all the while both emanating a strange yet fearful aura.

"Er, ... like I said; just let him rest, and I'm sure he'll wake up just fine. Hope I get invited to the celebratory feast." Tsuchimikado said with a nervous chuckle, as he took his departure.

"We'll consider inviting you, at least out of consideration for your and Maika-san's assistance." Othinus intoned in a voice that momentarily chilled Tsuchimikado to his core. It generally took something very serious to shake someone, who had seen not only the Dark Side of Academy City, but also some if not all of the more unpleasant aspects of the Magic Side, as had Tsuchimikado, but he was wise enough to realize that, had he continued making reference to Touma's ability to attract females, his Auto-Rebirth esper ability might end up being sorely put to the test.

 

Now, in all probability, while there was certainly much rejoicing at Touma's accomplishment of avoiding being left behind, no-one should be lulled into thinking it was an easy task; both in terms of the quantity of work to be covered (and covered properly), as well as Touma's propensity for misfortune seeming to lurk around the corner, waiting to strike.

For example, there was indeed an instance where the plumbing in the kitchen did spring a leak, and a rather serious one at that; fortunately (a rare word to use around Kamijou Touma), his foreboding to move the foodstuffs likely to be susceptible to water damage helped to (so-to-say) "soften the blow". Also, during those three weeks, Touma generally made his way to school and then back to his apartment, without any "side trips"; in most instances, those side trips were due to him spotting some sort of trouble, e.g. one or more delinquents harassing a girl, and, oft-times, the side trip would end at Heaven Canceller's hospital. However, there were virtually no sightings of such incidents, during this period ... if for no other reason than there were one or more individuals "shadowing" Touma's treks to and from his apartment, and, for now, let it be said simply that they made it their business to "neutralize" any such incidents before Touma could spot them.

Even Touma's time at school, for the most part, seemed to proceed without major incidents ... perhaps because Motoharu had managed to "convince" his fellow blue-haired Delta Force partner to hold back on their usual antics until the three weeks had passed. In addition, during daily classes, Touma had (it turned out, wisely) arranged an impromptu contingency plan, whenever sleep tried to come-a-calling during class hours. With the permission of the class in general, Himegami Aisa temporarily switched to the desk behind Kamijou, so that she was ever ready to apply her trusty stun baton (with optional taser) to keep Touma awake during class with a firm but gentle poke, if ever his head drooped low towards his desk. Komoe-sensei, and virtually all of Touma's female classmates (even Fukiyose, although she seemed to keep her reactions to herself more than most) were particularly worried about that procedure, especially during the last week, when it seemed necessary to apply the taser (even at its lowest setting) many times during the day, but Touma waved it off each time, giving a thumbs-up to Himegami (once the paralysis wore off) and sometimes whispering hoarsely with a smile: "Good Job, Himegami." Himegami was naturally uncomfortable about supposedly inflicting harm on her savior, but at the same time, she was very happy that she could be of aid to Kamijou at this crucial time.

The climax of that testing period came at last on the second-to-last day of the school term, when Komoe-sensei entered the classroom that morning and distributed the mandatory documents to her students, signifying their successful passing. Finally, there was one last envelope in her hand, but, instead of calling Touma's name (the last person to be called), tears began leaking from Komoe-sensei's eyes. Immediately, Year 1, Class 7's students entered into the equivalent of "DEFCON 1", ready at a moment's notice to wreak unholy vengeance on whoever or whatever caused their beloved teacher to shed tears.

The tense mood was dissipated when Komoe-sensei declared in a soft voice at first: "He did it."

After a few seconds, pausing to regain her composure, Komoe-sensei exclaimed with a broad smile, yet still shedding tears: "Kamijou-chan did it! He passed! You will all be together next year!"

As the revelation sank in, the class would have erupted into boisterous cheers, had not Tsuchimikado, strangely seeming a bit wobbly on his feet, and with dark circles around his eyes (hidden naturally by his shades), suddenly rose to his feet and, making the 'Shh' gesture with one hand, pointed to all present at Touma finally having succumbed to the call of sleep, his body slowly rising and falling with each breath, as his head rested upon his folded arms on his desk. It was a surprisingly peaceful scene that seemed to soothe the minds and hearts of all present. Indeed, virtually all the females present pictured in their minds' eye the "lap pillow" scenario, where Touma's sleeping head was resting in their lap as they gently ran their fingers through his spiky hair ... even if for the moment, no-one professed aloud to picturing such a thing.

Tsuchimikado then said in a low voice to all present: "Salute.", before standing at attention with his right hand raised in a salute, followed immediately by everyone present, including Komoe-sensei. The salute to Touma lasted for about a full minute.

Shortly thereafter, as the class began to disperse, having been given the rest of the day off, Tsuchimikado announced to all that he and Aogami would see their fellow classmate and friend safely home. Naturally, Komoe-sensei (backed up by Himegami with her baton being present, and Fukiyose, cracking her knuckles) made it clear that they were not to do anything strange to Touma along the way; a sentiment generally agreed to by the rest of the class.

"Have no fear, nya." was Tsuchimikado's assurance. "Kami-yan is victorious, so the least we can do is keep our promise not to mess with him, even though we are sorely tempted. We can always do that sort of thing once he's truly back among us." There was some face-palming at that last comment, but it was accepted, if not generally approved, that when push came to shove, the Delta Force had each other's backs.

It's probably best to leave it to one's imagination just how Tsuchimikado and Aogami walked, carried and lugged their still-sleeping comrade from A Certain High School back to Touma's and Tsuchimikado's dormitory. Suffice it to say there were quite a few candid photos (if not videos) taken by curious onlookers, not to mention a few instances of their being held up by a Judgement member who, at first glance, suspected that the third member of the trio was intoxicated in public.

On reaching Touma's apartment, and upon Tsuchimikado ringing the doorbell, the door was opened by Maika's "friend" ... or to be more accurate, her friend, classmate and fellow maid-in-training, Kumokawa Maria. Naturally, to avoid any 'repercussions' if Aogami was to discover her identity, and her relation to a certain senior at A Certain High School, Tsuchimikado had arranged previously to refrain from using her surname in his presence. After gently depositing a still-sleeping Touma upon his own bed (strangely, it was in all likelihood the first time he had used the bed since Index literally dropped into his life), and sending Aogami away ahead of him, under a pretense of meeting up later, Tsuchimikado passed the envelope containing Touma's confirmation of passing the school year to Maria, who would in turn hand it over to Touma, later.

"So, did everything work out for Kamijou-san?" asked Maria.

"Indeed, Kumokawa-san; our Kami-yan held out to the end, and prevailed, nya." was Tsuchimikado's reply.

Curiously, or perhaps not so, before Maria took her leave of the Kamijou apartment, she took out her phone and took a picture of a sleeping Touma; mentioning briefly to Tsuchimikado to the effect that someone would be very relieved to know that their joint efforts resulted in success. If Tsuchimikado had any idea as to knowing who that someone was, he gave no indication.

Later that evening, a certain photograph was subsequently forwarded to someone in Kumokawa Maria's contact list, with notice of Touma's success. Said photograph and message was in turn forwarded to at least two others. And as earlier today, the "lap pillow" scenario was conjured up in certain minds ... it remains unknown whether anything more was conjured up.

 

The next day, being the closing of the school year for the winter break, there were no formal class activities taking place all over Academy City, although this did little to dispel the overall mood of many of the student population regarding the leak of the Parameter List. Random outbreaks of dissidence were still taking place, although with perhaps less frequency than when the leak had occurred and the implications were first revealed to the masses.

Some time later after official school hours had passed, Tsuchimikado Motoharu, wearing a black jacket over his traditional Hawaiian print shirt, and dark slacks, stood outside a door at a location unknown to all but himself and three other persons. The others were together on the other side of the door, with Motoharu as the guard.

Within the room, the three others were seated around a circular table, in the center of which was placed a few containers of various liquid beverages, plus a few trays containing various items which could be classified as 'snacks'. Yet, although each of them had a cup or glass in front of them, plus a plate of snacks, no-one seemed to be either eating or drinking; in fact, they were generally supporting their heads upon their arms as if each one wanted nothing more than to crawl into a comfortable bed and go to sleep for an unknown number of hours. Nonetheless, a decision had been made to have this assembly, so it was mutually agreed to keep whatever the agenda was brief.

From her spot at the table, Kumokawa Seria announced (in a rather slurry voice) to the two others: "Well, while we're all still conscious enough to hear this, ... good work, everyone."

To Seria's right, sat (or perhaps more accurately, slouched) a blonde-haired girl, her impressive figure clad in the winter uniform of Tokiwadai Middle School (the long white lace gloves and stockings may or may not be part of the official uniform) ... Shokuhou Misaki.

To Seria's left slouched a girl with what could best be described as chocolate-colored fluffy hair, with a physique comparable in some ways to both Seria and Misaki, also wearing the winter uniform of Tokiwadai, and, as it turns out, the sender of the e-mail Seria received on that afternoon atop the roof of A Certain High School – a Level 3 esper with the ability known as Mental Stinger ... Mitsuari Ayu.

Stifling a yawn (not necessary the proper way for an 'ojou-sama' to act), Misaki replied: "That experience certainly pushed me to the limits of my stamina ability. However, that picture of my prince in sweet repose having passed his school year made it all worthwhile", as a rather dopey grin slowly formed on her face.

"I'm too worn out right now to do anything but agree that I couldn't have said it better myself." responded Ayu, seemingly barely able to raise her head off the table.

To make an otherwise long story short, Seria had co-ordinated Misaki and Ayu, with the back-up of Tsuchimikado, to watch Touma from the shadows and, via applying their respective telepathic abilities, to disperse any potential troublesome activities before he could be aware of them. The demands to keep up with those events was, to say the least, taxing; both physically as well as mentally. It was also Seria's idea to arrange for Maika and Maria (Seria's younger sister) to deal with the housekeeping activities at Kamijou's apartment during that 3-week period.

"Our work is not yet done, ladies," chipped back Seria, "At best, we've managed to bring Touma back up to where he probably was before most if not all of the more strange things he's been involved in over the last six or so months have transpired. It would make no sense to have him fall back into that same rut a second time."

"And your speculation, Kumokawa-san, is that Touma's seeming penchant for what he calls misfortune is somehow connected to, for want of a better word, that which resides in his right hand ... Imagine Breaker?" queried Misaki.

"Indeed, Shokuhou-san" came back Seria. "It's the only thing we have to go with right now, based on my conversation with him three weeks ago. And that means it's probably a good thing that, even before that, I decided to start this with both of you. However, I volunteer that we're all too drained right now to discuss effectively the materials Shokuhou and I gathered and that Mitsuari has been perusing, so I propose after perhaps one or two days of complete rest, we can continue this; either in person or over our secured messaging group.

"Pardon the expression, but, you're damn right." was Ayu's comeback, gaining a chuckle from both Misaki and Seria.

The light-hearted moment was then interrupted by Ayu's next comment: "Before we close, a question if I may, Kumokawa-san; perhaps because of urgency, I never raised it until now ... why did you and Shokuhou-san maintain contact with me, even after what I tried to do to her?" - a reference to a past event Misaki and Ayu knew all too well, where Ayu tried to steal all of Misaki's memories.

After a few seconds, Seria's response was: "My best answer right now, Mitsuari-san, would probably be summed up by a question: "What Would Touma Do?"

To which Ayu came back: "A rather cryptic answer ... would you care to elaborate?"

Seria answered: "I'm not aware of all the things Touma has gotten himself involved with up to now, but of what I know, I'm certain of this: Touma doesn't seem capable of holding a grudge. He will be in conflict with someone in one minute; then the next, if that person needs help, Touma will step up and offer help. It's somewhat idealistic, even naive, considering certain aspects of this City that the three of us probably know better than he does, but it's just how he does things." A smile formed on Seria's face as she concluded her reply: "Sometimes it feels good to emulate him."

Misaki chipped in with a comment of her own: "You do have a point. By the way, Kumokawa-san, I notice you're using his first name." Seria starts at the realization that she had indeed done so.

Ayu also had something to say about that: "If this was some _shoujo_ manga scenario, I suppose this might be the point where either Shokuhou-san or I would declare something like: 'I Won't Lose To You.'"

Seria replied with a sigh: "I'll admit to doing so; however, my resolve stays the same. Kamijou Touma has helped or saved others at cost to his mind, body and circumstances. Right now, we should consider ourselves fortunate that we've managed to help him solve his immediate problems at school. With that done, there is the matter of finding out whether there is a connection between Imagine Breaker and what Touma calls his misfortune, and after that, if there is any chance of it, the issue of his memories - something that impacts on each of us, in one way or another. After those are dealt with, only then will I take up once again the matter of the three of us being rivals for Touma. I can only ask both of you to co-operate with me on those first two points, for his sake, and not necessarily mine."

Those were perhaps rather hard-hitting words, but Seria had decided, back when she first spoke to Misaki and Ayu on the matter, that she would be open in her dealings with them regarding the young man for whom all three of them had certain feelings.

After pausing to take in Seria's statement, Ayu replied: "Once again you demonstrate what I daresay Shokuhou-san would call your persuasion ability, Kumokawa-san, so I shall be like-wise up front ... I agree that helping Touma solve his issues should take priority, so I'm willing to put aside our mutual rivalry for now."

"The same goes for me; I'll even overlook the fact that you stole my line there, Mitsuari-san." was Misaki's own response.

Seria exhaled before giving her own reply: "You both have my thanks, Shokuhou-san, Mitsuari-san. By the way, I see you've both also started using Touma's first name. Should this be a sign of our agreement to co-operate."

Ayu and Misaki exchanged glances for a moment and grinned, after which Ayu replied: "Good enough for me." Misaki simply nodded her agreement.

Seria then took up her phone, and contacted Tsuchimikado: "Our business here is done. I'll take care of things here, while I'll leave it to you to escort my guests to their respective destinations safely."

"Roger that." was Motoharu's response.

"Oh, one last thing" Seria remarked further, in a voice that on the surface sounded calm and soothing, but carried an underlying tone of serious intent, "I probably don't need to remind you that whatsoever took place in this room, stays in this room."

Once again, Tsuchimikado has a rare moment of a deeply disturbing chill running up and down his spine; similar in many ways to that exhibited by Index and Othinus when he was perhaps about to, so-to-say, put his foot in his mouth and chomp hard. Even from the other side of a closed door, he felt that intent, and some primeval instinct suggested that it was not only emanating from Kumokawa Seria. "Scary" was the immediate thought that came to his mind. Even as an experienced operative that he was, that last sentence quashed from his mind any thought of attempting to do anything that would put him on the bad side of a Level 3 telepath, an even more powerful Level 5 telepath, and his mysterious upperclassman. Against one alone, he might have considered something, but against all three ...

_"Aogami would not doubt call this serious yandere potential. Kami-yan; I don't know whether to call you a lucky bastard, or to offer many prayers of protection for you."_ was Motoharu's closing thought.

With that, all parties dispersed until such time as they would meet again.


	3. Prelude To A Discourse

In what seemed to many to be a move aimed at quelling any remaining outbreaks of dissidence over the leak of the Parameter List, a decision had been made, followed by announcements over the media that the winter school break would be extended from its standard one-week period to two weeks. Said announcements were broadcast within two days after the brief assembly between Kumokawa, Shokuhou and Mitsuari, with Seria in all likelihood knowing of it in advance via her connections with her employer. Thus, it was decided that the three would meet to go over all that Ayu had perused to date, and to decide on their next move from there on.

After securing a venue – an otherwise ordinary-looking single-storey building located within District 7, officially registered as a boarding-house – Tsuchimikado had been contacted, and, at that moment, he was with Seria at the location, having checked for signs of hidden surveillance devices, and verifying that the place was "clean".

"Right, then ... subject to his schedule of course, we'd like you to bring Kamijou-kun here tomorrow, as well as the nun who lives with him … oh, and we'd better not forget the "former Magic God" who's there, too.", was Seria's directive.

For a brief moment, Tsuchimikado did a double-take, at how casually Kumokawa made rather casual mention of Index and Othinus; two persons whose identities and general natures were foreign (if not completely unknown) to the Science Side. "Well, I can see it makes sense to invite Kami-Yan, but might I ask, why his house-guests also?" asked Tsuchimikado.

"A fair question, which shall receive a fair answer.", came back Seria "Originally I wasn't planning to bring Kamijou on-board just yet, but since we have a two-week winter break, in the event that we have to make some major decision, he should find out what we've been up to concerning him. Also, if our research has run into a dead-end, I don't want to waste time ... we'll switch immediately to look for a solution from the world of Magic."

It was a rare moment to see the Backstabbing Blade do a double-take, twice (the second time, with a rather noticeable twitch).

"To answer your as-yet unspoken question," continued Seria, "I've done a bit of homework, so I'm aware of the bare basics of what Magic is, as well as that, having gone through the Power Curriculum Program, I myself can't use Magic without likely doing damage to myself. The nun who currently lives with Kamijou is reputedly a walking encyclopedia on the subject, as may also be the former Magic God, and they're right here in Academy City, so … if we must change gears, we may as well go full speed ahead."

"Eh-heh … I can almost see Kami-Yan's jaw drop when he finds out that our upperclassman knows a little bit about the other Side, as we often call it, nya." came back Tsuchimikado, as he prepared to take his leave. "Well, as I recall, he's supposed to be preparing a feast for his house-guests for their helping him out three weeks ago.Iif need be, I can get Maika to step in and keep things going, while I bring them here."

"I'll leave it to you. As the British might say: 'Carry On, then'." were Seria's dismissal.

A minute or so after Tsuchimikado had left, Misaki and Ayu entered the room where Seria was seated:

Ayu stated: "Search is still on-going, Kumokawa-san. Unless I run into any snag, I believe we should have something by latest tomorrow, if not the end of today."

Seria replied: "That's fine. Tsuchimikado has gone to invite Touma and his house-guests. Unless something comes up, we'll meet with them tomorrow. Your computer skills are again proving invaluable to our little quest, Mitsuari-san."

To which Ayu came back with a grin: "Well, I have been honing my skills in that area, even before you two arranged for my being sequestered. I don't yet consider myself in the same category as some reputed experts – there's reportedly a Judgement member whom I don't know by name, but who's skills are legendary – but at least, I believe I can hold my own where this is concerned. Oh – that other thing I've been working on is ready."

Seria responded: "In that case, we might as well set it up now; I need a bit of a break from all the damage control work arising out of that blasted leak."

The "damage control" work referred to generally stemmed from a number of disgruntled espers deciding to abandon what they considered a hopeless cause and leave Academy City, and the Board of Directors were (figuratively speaking) up to their noses in sorting things out, even with the aid of assistants and advisors, such as Kumokawa was to one of them. The actual numbers of persons deciding to leave might be considered relatively small, but naturally the Board was more concerned with limiting the amount of information that would go with those departing, as well as minimizing the negative publicity that might surface if the outside world was aware of the entire scenario. Seria continued: "Shokuhou-san, this is where you come in."

Misaki seemed to be (mentally) in her own world for a few moments, until she registered Seria's voice aimed directly at her. "Oh, I can't say I was aware of anything particular going on. What sort of surprise ability are you about to impose on me?"

"It's simple, really." replied Seria, "Mitsuari and I don't know all the specifics apart from what was covered in Touma's medical records, and perhaps only Heaven Canceller can shed more light on it, but it seems your memory issue with him is a unique case, as opposed to what happened to him in July. Whereas Mitsuari can at present begin making new memories with Touma from this point on if she meets him again, because of what happened to him, following your encounter with Deadlock, you and he cannot; so long as his condition remains. And I don't mind saying it now ... in the past, if I had known about it, I would have used this for all its worth to, so-to-say, eliminate you from any race to win Touma's affections."

"Oooh, … scary." was Ayu's and Misaki's joint comeback. The mood might have been more jovial than serious, yet all three ladies present knew deep in their hearts that the idea of their banding together for a common cause as they were right now would have been inconceivable in the past.

"So, what brought about the change of heart, Kumokawa-san?" inquired Misaki.

To which, Seria responded: "Speaking for myself, I'm older and wiser now, as opposed to then. If I wasn't, I might have taken it entirely upon myself to solve Touma's problem regarding his misfortune and his memory on my own. I might have eventually succeeded, but probably at the cost of making Touma into a possession to be hoarded, which is not the sort of relationship I want with him. And without asking, I want to believe neither of you want such a thing for him, either."

"Ohhhh-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho," came back Misaki, with a sly grin, "our _sempai_ has spoken words of wisdom, Mitsuari-san."

"Indeed," replied Ayu, as she set up a tablet for use, "and perhaps on the basis of said wisdom, Kumokawa-"sempai" suggested that what I've been working on, as stated, may be a temporary fix only, but for now, it's the only way we can see right now to overcome your particular issue."

"Well, a temporary fix it may be, but if it helps us with what we're aiming for in the long run, I'm grateful for it … to both of you." was the response from a smiling Shokuhou.

The "fix" in question, turned out to be a software application, which would be used to record conversations and interactions, and the recording could be sent to another person's device (phone, PC, tablet, etc.). Included within the application's features was a brief profile of Misaki (including a picture where she struck one of her trademark cute poses, inclusive of a "V"-sign – both Ayu and Seria tried not to face-palm at that), so that, as long as he viewed the recording sent to him, Touma could be reasonably brought up-to speed regarding just who was this blonde-haired girl featured at the start of any video message sent. The application was loaded onto both Misaki's and Seria's phones, although Misaki was designated as the first point of contact outside of any face-to-face meetings, so far as this matter is concerned.

"Right, we're all loaded up." exclaimed Ayu, as, on the spur of the moment, all three ladies exchanged a simultaneous high-five, "we just need confirmation from Tsuchimikado-san."

 

Just to recap briefly what was going on at the Kamijou dorm: having slept extremely soundly for about fifteen hours since Aogami and Tsuchimikado brought him home, Touma awoke the next day, to find Index engrossed in her daily diet of 'Magic-Powered Kanamin', and beside him reclined Othinus; herself reclining alongside a snoozing Sphynx, who, at this moment, was content to let his 'pet' be.

"Judging from the current time, I guess I should say: Good Morning, human." quipped Othinus. "Amazingly, you didn't stir a muscle after your classmates brought you home, so the nun and I decided to let you just sleep it off. There's a letter on the counter for you. Your neighbor says it's confirmation that you passed your school year."

Following a stretch and a yawn, Touma replied: "Good Morning, then, Othi-chan. For now I'm just content to say that's over and done with … but it would be better to find a way to prevent a re-occurrence of that scenario. Believe me, it probably hurt me more to be kept awake by that taser, than it hurt Himegami to apply it during the last few days."

"One would almost think that after how many times the short-haired girl from Tokiwadai has blasted you with lightning that you might have developed a natural immunity to electricity." came back Othinus.

"I wish," retorted Touma, "it's only because of Imagine Breaker that I generally avoid getting shocked by Misaka-san, and just so you know, electricity from a taser is not a supernatural ability, so in all likelihood, I can't negate it."

Index' face was still turned towards her TV program, but having heard Touma's voice, she called out: "Good Morning, Touma … are you fully rested?" Both Othinus and Touma knew the hidden meaning behind that question.

"Yes, I'm all rested, Index-san," replied Touma, "and, after a trip to the bathroom, I'll get started on cooking."

Cut to later that evening, where Touma was at work in the kitchen, regarding the promised feast. Taking into account the storage life of the supplies delivered and stored, it was decided that most of what could be stored long-term would remain packed away, and as much of the rest as possible prepared. In accordance with his nature of paying his obligations, Touma had planned either to invite Maika and her friend, in thanks for their assistance, or at least prepare separate boxes for them. And then, there was the question of his mysterious benefactors, who came up with the plan that permitted him to pass the year.

"Tsuchimikado might know who those people are; after all, I owe them for their help, too." was the immediate thought in Touma's mind.

Almost no sooner had the thought taken form when the doorbell rang, followed once more by a familiar voice: "Kami-Yaaaannn!"

"Well, I think the saying is: ask and you shall receive," murmured Touma. "Index-san, can you get the door, please?"

"Mmmm." was Index's reply, as she went to open the door, and proceeded to let their neighbor enter.

"Well, well … it seems you've recovered from your ordeal and you're in the middle of cooking up a storm, Kami-yan." commented Tsuchimikado, as he spotted Touma in the dorm unit's kitchen.

"I promised them if they supported me, and they did." came back Touma, "and both you and Maika are invited; in all likelihood, the feast will be ready by tomorrow evening. Oh, could you find out if Maika's friend is available; either that or I'll prepare a box for her as thanks?"

To which Tsuchimikado responded: "Heh-heh … as expected of Kami-yan; I'll have Maika contact her, nya. Oh, before it slips my mind ... those folks who spearheaded the plan to get you through the past school year; I'm bearing an invitation from them to meet with you tomorrow morning."

"Hey, hey … it's not right to interrupt the feast Touma promised." charged in Index, with a frown on her face.

"Now, now, Index-san." Tsuchimikado assured her, "If need be, I can ask Maika to finish up the rest of the preparations, so that your feast can go ahead as planned."

"That's right, Index … those folks did help me out of a troublesome situation, so meeting them is the least I can do. Perhaps I could prepare some for them as thanks. How many people are involved?" inquired Touma.

"Just three persons." replied Tsuchimikado, holding back on their genders or identities, if for no other purpose than to see Touma's reaction at that future point.

"Right." came back Touma, "I'll go late into the night so that I can pack and bring along three boxes when we go tomorrow." As she was assured that the feast planned for the Kamijou household would take place as planned, Index offered no more objection.

"The venue is in District 7, and not too far away from here. Oh – it almost slipped me; they'd like it if both Index-san and Othinus-san come along with you." All three non-feline members of the Kamijou household, looked at Tsuchimikado, as if to say: "EHH?"

To which Tsuchimikado replied: "Don't worry – I suspect they want to elaborate more on the matter themselves, but they want to talk about the subject of Imagine Breaker. I'm guessing that they either suspect or believe that Index and Othinus might know something that they don't yet know, nya."

After glancing at Index and Othinus for a moment or two, Touma declared: "All right – we'll all go. We'll aim to be ready by 8 a.m. to depart."

"Right-o", came back Tsuchimikado "allowing for nothing strange taking place, we should get there within half an hour. I'll let them know what time we should arrive and come to get you all in the morning." With that, Tsuchimikado took his leave.

After their neighbor had departed, and even as Touma resumed his activities in his kitchen, Othinus queried: "Isn't it a bit strange that someone in this City of Science wants to talk to you about Imagine Breaker?" Even Index, although she voiced no opinion at the moment, seemed to ask the same question with her glance.

"It's certainly not what I expected." replied Touma, recalling momentarily his conversation with his upperclassman some time back. "There seems to be a very select few in this City who have any idea that Imagine Breaker exists, and, to be honest, I don't go announcing its presence to everyone I meet. Still, I'll meet with them as agreed, but we'll do our best to keep our guard up; the last thing I need now is to be labeled as the one who disrupted the balance between Science and Magic."

"Agreed." came back Othinus. "Well for now, we'll leave you to continue preparing the feast."

"Do Your Best, Touma." exclaimed Index, as she, Othinus and Sphynx returned to the television in Touma's living room space. In response, Touma rolled up his sleeves and got back to work.

 

The next day came along, with reasonably clear weather, although there was some light snowfall the previous night. Just after 8 a.m., the Kamijou household, accompanied by Tsuchimikado, proceeded to the venue of the intended meeting, with Tsuchimikado Maika left in the Kamijou dorm putting the finishing touches to the feast intended for later, as well as packing a box that would later be delivered to Kumokawa Maria.

Except for one little incident, the trip to the venue – an otherwise leisurely 20-minute walk – went without a snag; the little incident being that as the group passed under a tree whose upper branches covered the pavement, as might be expected of Touma's tendency to experience the unfortunate, a figurative ton of snow, practically invisible from below chose to submit to the law of gravity, with rather predictable results. It was fortunate that, at the moment, Tsuchimikado was carrying the boxes prepared, so they and their contents were spared, but the result was that Touma was effectively drenched from head to toe.

After recovering from the initial shock, Touma deadpanned: "I probably don't need to say it, do I?"

To which, Othinus, perched on Index's shoulder, replied: "Might as well let it out, if it makes you feel better." Index and Tsuchimikado, stifling laughter to various degrees, nodded in agreement.

Upon that, and taking a deep breadth, Touma cried out to an otherwise empty street: "SUCH MISFORTUNE!"

"But seriously, do I go back and change clothes?" was Touma's next question, after venting his frustration.

"No need for that, nya." replied Tsuchimikado, "We're practically there already, so I'll call ahead, and you can get both a shower and a change of clothes. The place I believe also has a washer and dryer so that probably within two hours tops, your own clothes will be usable again." With that, Tsuchimikado proceeds to notify those present at their destination of what had happened, although for a brief moment, Touma wondered why his neighbor's phone seemed to be aimed at him, before the call was made.

For about the next two to three minutes, there was not a dry eye present among Seria, Misaki and Ayu as a picture of a totally-drenched Kamijou was put before them; although in this instance, the lack of dry eyes was due to laughter, rather than sorrow. After finally managing to regain her composure, Seria got back to business: "Seriously, now … I don't know how he does it, but we'll carry on. Shokuhou-san, there should be a track suit in the wardrobe plus a bath-robe; it's not much, but at least they're already laundered. Set them up in the bathroom. I'll advise Tsuchimikado to take Touma in through the back, and straight to the bathroom."

"Leave it to me." replied Misaki, still giggling intermittently.

"I'll meet them at the front door, and bring Touma's house-guests in." said Ayu, also having barely regained her composure.

Within roughly three minutes, Tsuchimikado and the Kamijou household arrived at the house. As indicated, and having momentarily disabled the security system present, Mitsuari Ayu was present at the front door to take Index and Othinus inside. Touma only glanced at her briefly, but he was too busy shivering – even with clear skies, it was still effectively the winter season, so there was a wind chill factor to be taken into account – to notice whether this person looked familiar to him in any way.

Roughly twenty minutes later, having taken a brisk shower, and clad in the track-suit and bath-robe provided (Tsuchimikado assured him this was no formal affair, and his hosts understood that his seeming penchant for misfortune just happened to strike there and then), and after setting up his own clothes to be washed, Tsuchimikado escorted Touma to the living room, where, seated around the table were (in no specific order) Index (with Othinus as usual perched upon her shoulder), Ayu, Misaki and Seria; the latter three rising as Touma approached, to exclaim in unison with beaming smiles and a formal bow: "Welcome and congratulations on your passing your school year, Kamijou Touma-san."

The resulting jaw-drop done by Touma would have ranked as legendary, if only Tsuchimikado could have taken a picture, but he had already been "forewarned" about doing any such thing, so he had to settle for burning it into his memory. As Touma struggled internally to compose himself, the one thought registering at the forefront of his mind was:

_"Well, THIS was certainly unexpected."_


	4. The Rabbit Hole Beckons

Naturally, the female contingent of this little get-together would not simply sit at the table while Kamijou Touma showered and changed into "temporary" clothing, after his little incident with a snow-laden tree. Tsuchimikado had taken the boxes prepared to the kitchen, as well had taken up his sentinel post away from the living room, so for the moment, the assembly consisted of Kumokawa Seria, Shokuhou Misaki, Mitsuari Ayu, Index and Othinus (the latter for now seated cross-legged upon the table alongside Index).

After formal introductions by all present, Seria as the unofficial spokesperson for the group stated: "We'll give Kamijou-kun time to clean up and change, so certain things will naturally be held off until he joins us. That will at least give us a few moments to raise two other important points."

Othinus, upon raising her hand, interjected at that point: "May I presume, Kumokawa-san that one of those points is whether Index and I can shed any light on that which resides in Touma's right hand … the Imagine Breaker; am I correct?"

"Correct, Othinus-san", came back Seria. "The other point might be considered by some as rather sensitive, but I suggest the air should be clear on this, if what the three of us are aiming for is to work at all – specifically, and without necessarily going into all the details right now, I propose we should understand each other's relationship or connection with Kamijou Touma."

To that second statement, Othinus raised an eyebrow, while Index blushed slightly. After a moment, Othinus replied: "I agree that it would do little good to be secretive on that issue, and I commend you for being forward on that point, Kumokawa-san, so I agree to tell you where I stand. Are you okay with that, Index?" continued the former Magic God, turning to Touma's other house-guest.

Index seemed to pause for a moment of her own, before replying: "If Othinus can trust you to talk about such things, Kumokawa-san, then so will I.", to which Seria responded: "Thank you both."

"One thing, before we proceed." came back Othinus, "I don't claim complete familiarity with the full range of abilities possessed by this City's espers, so might I inquire whether any of you have any ability to read minds or thoughts as your so-called esper ability?"

"That would be Mitsuari-san, and myself, Othinus-san" replied Misaki, indicating to both Ayu and herself.

Othinus then continued: "Very well. I asked that question to give this advice, and if you like, Touma can back this up when he's among us; under no circumstances should either of you attempt to read Index's mind. I presume that you have at least some knowledge of the general incompatibility of your esper abilities with magic. The knowledge Index carries in her mind is equally if not more dangerous, especially to one who can read minds. Index can tell you a little more about that."

"What Othinus refers to," continued Index, "is that I was originally chosen as a vessel for storing tens of thousands of writings related to magical knowledge. Virtually all of them are potentially dangerous, even to a magic user who is properly prepared. I am unique, because I'm able to store and access that knowledge without suffering any ill effects; yet I have seen what can happen to anyone else who tries to access the contents of those writings.", referring to the incident some months back, involving a Japanese magician known as Yamisaka Ouma.

"Speaking for Shokuhou-san and myself, we are grateful for your advising us on that point, Index-san, and you also, Othinus-san." stated Ayu.

 

With that point covered, Index proceeded to tell Ayu, Seria and Misaki, in summarized form, about how she came into Touma's life and how she had been a house-guest with him for the last six months; for the moment, the incident with the Feather of Light was omitted from her discourse. Othinus then recounted, again in summarized form, her direct involvement in the incident in Tokyo Bay, noting that she and Touma started off as adversaries, but over time, they came to understand each other, to the point that Touma intervened to save her from the rest of the world, and that, after Touma saved her from her attempt to destroy herself, she was reduced to her current 15-centimeter form.

"There's probably more to what you've told us, but that can be covered another time." was Seria's response, after Index and Othinus had finished. "Just to be brief at this moment; Shokuhou-san, Mitsuari-san and I knew Kamijou-kun in varying ways, up to roughly six months ago, where, for reasons unknown or unclear to us, he lost all memories of virtually everything up to that point, including memories of ourselves. He has knowledge of me beyond that point, only because we attend the same school, and we have interacted from time to time, but at present, Touma has no recall of his past with Shokuhou or Mitsuari, or for that matter, most of his life before the end of July of this year." Possibly only Othinus noticed Index flinching at the mention of that particular past incident, but made no mention of it at that moment.

"That is our second objective, aside from finding whether there is a way to minimize or eliminate Kamijou-san's recurring misfortune, which, from everything we've gathered up to this point, is connected somehow to that which is called Imagine Breaker." continued Misaki, "that is: to find out whether there is any chance that the issue of his memories can be fixed. Mine is a unique case, unlike Kumokawa-san and Mitsuari-san; roughly a year ago to date, Touma got seriously injured protecting me from an attempt on my life. All indications were he could not get to the hospital in time, so I opted to use my ability on him, so that he could be given emergency medical treatment on the spot, but the end result was that Touma had lost the ability to remember me. At present, even if he were to meet me now, the moment one of us walked away, he would immediately forget." Misaki had spoken those words with a calm tone of voice and an exterior visage which, for the moment, revealed no indication of her feelings regarding that seeming impasse, except for the fact that, as did Seria, she had switched to referring to Touma by his first name – something noted by Othinus, if not by Index.

Perhaps it was in response to such unspoken feelings that Index interjected into the ongoing conversation. "Uh, I might be able to shed some light on what happened to Touma six months ago."

"Please do, Index-san", encouraged Seria.

With that, Index recounted to all present the details of Touma effectively saving her from having her memories of her past year up to that point erased, only for him to have his own memories erased by the Feather Of Light.

Silence reigned around the table for about half a minute as Index concluded her recount, before Ayu spoke, with a slight tremor in her voice: "Well, what you said seems to tie in to what we've been able to gather from his medical records, and talking to his doctor. According to Heaven Canceller, Touma's brain and body were in proper working order, physically and physiologically after that incident, but his memories before that incident are gone, and so far, medical science cannot find any way to retrieve or restore them.

"If I may," interjected Othinus, "and speaking as someone who's a stranger to science on the whole, it's quite likely that, perhaps up to this time, Science cannot properly analyze that which belongs to the realm of Magic and vice versa. It might be premature to state that there is absolutely no solution to Touma's memory issues, but, unless either of you can shed more light on what is currently available, I myself cannot say whether Science has the key to that solution."

To which Misaki made an interjection of her own: "As an example, Othinus-san: there are research facilities in this City whose personnel analyze and study my own esper ability, which in very simple terms involves powers and properties of the brain and mind. There are many documented instances of persons having lost all or part of their memories via accident or some other cause, who, over time and with care, eventually regain what was once lost – again, in part or in full – however, despite the general agreement that science on the whole in Academy City is far ahead of the rest of the world, nothing presently known seem to have any answers to Touma's memory issues."

The prevailing atmosphere in the room was seemingly dim at that moment, before Seria spoke up: "All right; we promised ourselves not to get our hopes up too quickly, and as Othinus-san suggested, perhaps there is nothing that Science can do right now, so then, the only thing that might help us solve Touma's memory problems seems to be something that we as espers cannot use directly – namely, Magic. A question, Index-san … does Touma know about his memory loss from six months ago?"

Index replied: "I'm certain he does, Kumokawa-san – his doctor explained it to me, even though I myself know nothing about Science, and I learned later he explained it to Touma after he woke up. Touma chose then to hide his awareness of his memory loss from me … although I understood later why he did so; he was concerned that I might blame myself for it."

"Hmm, … there he goes again, taking on things by himself." remarked Seria, as Ayu, Misaki and even Othinus gave a brief sigh. "Well, we all should know by now in our respective ways; that sort of behavior is to be expected of Kamijou Touma. Please don't worry about our reaction to what you told us, Index-san." continued Seria with a smile, "Somehow, I feel Touma doesn't hold the issue against you, and if he doesn't, then neither shall we."

Upon that assurance from Seria, and receiving a nod from Ayu and Misaki, Index seemed to relax, before replying: "Thank you, everyone, and you have my word; whatever I can do to help find a way to solve Touma's memory issue, I shall do." With that assertion, the mood in the room brightened up, even a little.

Before another word was said, Seria's phone buzzed, and on picking it up, Tsuchimikado notified her and the others that the 'guest of honor' was about ready to make his entrance.

"I'm almost surprised that the either the cold or hot water didn't suddenly stop working in the middle of his bath." remarked Othinus.

"Oh … does that sort of thing happen on occasion?" inquired Ayu?

To which Index replied with a slight blush on her face: "Indeed it has happened, and more than once. Strangely enough, the bathroom always works fine with me, and by extension with Othinus."

For a brief second, a somewhat un-wholesome mental image of a stark naked Kamijou dashing out of a shower that had suddenly gone too hot or too cold arose in the minds of Ayu, Misaki and Seria, but before any further reaction could occur, it was Seria who brought things, so-to-say, back to order: "Well, let's just file that sort of thing away for … another time."

"Agreed." came back Ayu and Misaki, quickly turning their attention from that train of thought.

 

Cut back to the present moment when Kamijou Touma, accompanied by Tsuchimikado, entered the living room, to be greeted by his upperclassman as well as two ladies wearing the winter uniform of Tokiwadai. After a few seconds of jaw-dropping, Touma regained his own composure, to respond to the greeting, with a bow of his own: "My own response is: thank you for having my friends and myself here, as well as, I understand, your assistance towards my passing my school year."

Formalities aside, Touma took his place at the table, where for practical purposes, he was re-introduced to Seria's companions:

"Hello, Kamijou-san … you will probably not remember me following your incident six months ago, but we have met before then. I am Shokuhou Misaki, the Fifth Level Five esper of Academy City." stated Misaki, with a slight smile.

"Hello again, Kamijou-san … for the same reason as Shokuhou-san, you will probably not remember me, but we have likewise also met before. I'm Mitsuari Ayu, a Level Three esper." stated Ayu in similar mannerisms.

"It's a pleasure, Shokuhou-san, Mitsuari-san." replied Touma to both ladies.

"Well, if you'll excuse me for the moment, it's my mission right now to play the role of butler or manservant." chipped in Tsuchimikado. "I'll be bringing in drinks and snacks for now while not on guard duty, but the three of you are in for a treat, later. Put simply, you'll be treated to some of Kami-yan's culinary skills, which he brought along as thanks for your assistance regarding his school year." Ayu's, Seria's and Misaki's eyes lit up simultaneously.

"Very well, then, 'manservant'." quipped back Seria, "please proceed.", at which Tsuchimikado was off to the kitchen. As things progressed, he was moving back and forth, delivering light refreshments to those around the table.

Turning back to the Kamijou household, Seria continued: "I had mentioned it previously to your companions, Kamijou-kun, but we waited for you to join us before going into particulars. The three of us," Seria continued, indicating Misaki and Ayu "have embarked on a project. Put simply, we seek to find out whether there is a way for you to minimize or even eliminate your misfortune, which all indications are connected with, for want of a better word, your ability – the Imagine Breaker, as well as to find out whether there is a way to resolve the issue of your lost memories."

"I see." replied Touma, "Well, I have no objection to helping you in any way possible, although, as you recall from our conversation weeks ago, sempai, I've told you all I know about the nature of Imagine Breaker, and, so far as I know, the science of this City has also shed little light on the subject. Similarly, there seems to be nothing science-wise in this City that can do anything about my memories; if something had come up, I'm sure that Heaven Canceller would have notified me on it."

"You're indeed correct on that, Kamijou-san." replied Misaki. "Just to shed some further light; part of our work involves an in-depth study of the Parameter List, that document which, you're no doubt aware, has been leaked by one or more unknown persons some time ago. Mitsuari-san has been spear-heading that research"

"I'm somewhat familiar with it, Shokuhou-san." came back Touma, "but, as I mentioned previously to Kumokawa-sempai, that List only indicates to me what it seems I've been told after every System Scan: Imagine Breaker, even though it's present, cannot be measured or analyzed, and I have not manifested an AIM field; thereby I have not developed an esper ability."

"There's a little more to things than what you've mentioned, Kamijou-san." replied Ayu. "Like you and most others, I don't claim the level of scientific knowledge as those who administer or run the Power Curriculum Program, but if my own research is accurate, there is evidence suggesting that the specific curriculum and tests applied to you, ever since your arrival into Academy City, have been, to put it bluntly, placebo tests."

"Uh, what does that mean, Mitsuari-san?" interjected Index.

"It means that, to put it one way, the tests applied to Touma have been merely for show." came back Othinus. "In all likelihood, there was never any real attempt to analyze Imagine Breaker from the standpoint of Science, or to develop an esper ability in him."

After a moment's pause, Touma spoke up: "I'm not sure I like the sound of that, but please do continue, Mitsuari-san … I'll try to hold off any further questions until you're done, if only for the sake of time."

"That's fine – after all, we're primarily discussing your life, so feel free to interject, if you feel inclined to." came back Ayu. "If what we've found is indeed correct, the only conclusion we can come to, Touma-san, is that, notwithstanding what might be called actual evidence "in the field" of what Imagine Breaker is capable of, and chances are, a look back on all you've had to deal with over the last six or so months can attest to that, it seems that a decision had been made by some unknown person to classify you as a Level Zero, and that decision has been maintained throughout your entire time as an Academy City resident, student and esper."

After a moment's pause, it was Othinus who voiced the next statement: "If I were to sum up what you've revealed to us, Mitsuari-san, I'd volunteer some sort of conspiracy has been orchestrated against Touma, ever since his arrival in this City. Perhaps the obvious questions that follow are: who has imposed that decision to rank him as a Level Zero, and for what purpose?"

"That's probably my cue to add in what might be another piece of the puzzle." stated Seria. "By chance, have any of you heard of or been told about the Magic-Science Treaty?" Glancing at each other for a moment, Touma, Index and Othinus shook their heads to indicate a "no" answer.

"Well," continued Seria, "while I don't know all the fine details, it seems that there is an agreement established between what is commonly called the Science Side, represented primarily by Academy City, and the Magic Side, i.e., those organizations and societies across the world who wield and use magic, stipulating that, to summarize it, each Side would not get involved in the affairs of the other; neither shall either Side employ or use techniques or abilities that belong to the other. The treaty seems to have been formed around the time of the establishment of Academy City, some 20 or more years ago. It doesn't seem to have any clearly defined guidelines, and, while I'm unaware whether such things have ever transpired within the Magic Side, there are or were persons in positions of authority on the Science Side who have blurred the lines of the Treaty from time to time, for their own purposes. To make a long story short, which perhaps another time, I can expand upon further, it was due to being involved in the investigation of a former Board Director who was discovered actively blurring those lines, that I one day discovered the subject of Magic. That person had eventually been relieved of their position as a Director, but their research into the subject had remained relatively intact. It was through perusing the information left behind by that former Director that I know what I happen to know about Magic, or at least more significantly, the revelation that persons who have been through the Power Curriculum Program of Academy City, irrespective of their Level, are incompatible with the use of Magic – to the point that, if they tried to use it, it could literally kill them."

Othinus came back: "It's quite possible that similar things have taken place within the Magic Side, with, as you suggested, Kumokawa-san, only those in positions of authority being aware of such. If one was to relate it back to Touma, would it make sense to conclude that if anyone was indeed deliberately classing him as a Level Zero esper, and thereby keeping him, so-to-speak, out of the view of the masses, it would likely be someone who knows something about Imagine Breaker,?"

"You may be onto something there, Othinus-san," replied Seria. "Generally, there exists a Board of Directors who handle the so-called day-to-day running of Academy City, under instructions and directions given by the General Superintendent – a person whom I've never personally seen and with whom I've never had any contact. I can speak from experience and stake my own reputation against the integrity and trustworthiness of the Director for whom I work as an advisor, but I cannot guarantee that the other Directors are cut from the same cloth as my employer. It is quite possible that one or more of them would be the type to blur the lines of the Treaty, both in times past as possibly even now. And since I have no intimate knowledge about the City's General Superintendent, it's not out of the bounds of possibility that he, or she, might know something that even the Board of Directors don't."

 

It was Touma who interjected at this point: "What you mentioned, sempai, regarding non-involvement of either Side in the others' affairs seems to make sense, up to a point. However, I do recall since July of this year that I have been, so-to-say, dragged into various incidents both inside and outside Academy City, involving persons whom, I later learned, were magic users. Granted you know more about the workings of this City's government that I do, does it make sense that, unless things are deeper than we know, the only person in this City who could allow that to happen, without being subject to investigation for possibly violating this Treaty, might be the General Superintendent, themself?"

"Heh." remarked Othinus, "an interesting supposition, human. You've just demonstrated that you're smarter than your past test scores would suggest you to be. On paper, you're an esper from this City, yet you wield a power which itself is in all likelihood not an esper ability, so that, it could be argued that your involvement in matters of the Magic Side may blur the lines of, but not necessarily be an outright violation of this Treaty."

"Well said, indeed, Touma, and you also, Othinus-san." chipped in Seria with a grin, "That alone suggests that, even if the Board of Directors on the whole know next to nothing about your power, it's a fair assumption that the mysterious and practically invisible General Superintendent of this City might know something. There just might be someone I can look to for finding out whether there is any possibility of contacting the Superintendent, but, in case we get nowhere on that, here's where we turn to you both, Index-san and Othinus-san, regarding anything you know about Imagine Breaker, from the standpoint of the Magic Side."

"I'll go first." chimed in Index."I recall Touma and I had a discussion about it when I first began living with him in this City. While others have been talking, I've been accessing the grimoires or magical texts stored in my own mind, to see whether any new information is available. Unfortunately, it's the same now, as it was then. Information on Imagine Breaker is either poorly documented, or perhaps only some knowledge of the subject has ever been incorporated into the grimoires. What I have been able to glean is that Imagine Breaker is not so much an ability that anyone can use, but more like a possession. Others in times past has been the bearer of it, as Touma is now, and at any time, one one person is its bearer. If or when the bearer dies, it sooner or later passes onto another.

"Probably it's my turn to step in and add what I know to what Index has stated." interjected Othinus. "It is indeed possible that other magical organizations apart from the ones we are immediately familiar with – the Church Of England and the Roman Catholic Church – may have as-yet undisclosed knowledge on the Imagine Breaker. At the moment, I can only think of two persons by name who might have such knowledge, although according to recorded history, one of those persons is supposed to have died around fifty or so years ago; a magician who went by the name: Edward Alexander Crowley. The other person is still alive, as far as I'm aware; Touma and I last encountered him during the period where it was Touma and myself against the world. That person is a magician named Ollerus; as I recall, he resides somewhere in Italy."

"Hmm," came in Touma at that point,"It so happened that Ollerus-san and I had a brief discussion about mid-November on what he called his perspective about Imagine Breaker. He did indicate that it was pure speculation, without any attempt to test it, but I do recall two points he stated. One: if any person who had gained sufficient magical power and knowledge altered the world as we know it now, they could if they so choose restore the world to its pre-altered state, using Imagine Breaker as a reference point for such a reset. Two: Imagine Breaker is supposed to represent the collective hopes and fears of all magicians. I don't recall anything in our talk indicating the possibility of consciously controlling it."

"And it's likely the possibility of conscious control that would probably be of any use towards our objective." was Misaki's response to Touma's statement. "Right now, I volunteer we seem to have two courses of action to follow from this point. One: we contact this Ollerus person to find out if he either knows anything more, or whether he can point us towards where to look further. Two: as Kumokawa-san said, we find out whether it's possible to contact this City's General Superintendent."

"Seems that there's little other options available to us right now." responded Seria. "As I indicated before, I'll explore the possibility of contacting the General Superintendent. Touma, by any chance, do you have any means of contacting this Ollerus?"

"Nothing directly, sempai." Touma replied, "although, I do know some people who belong to the Church Of England from where Index originally came. Possibly, if I contact them, they might know a way for us to get in touch with Ollerus-san."

 

"One more thing." interjected Othinus. "Granted I'm still learning about various things in this City and world from the perspective of Science, but, if as we're starting to suspect that either the City's Board of Directors or even the General Superintendent may know something about Imagine Breaker, even if not much, then the possibility does exist that, if we or anyone else started delving into activities related to the Magic Side, if any such activities are detected, those who do so may be at risk. Whatsoever contact Kamijou Touma may have had with the Magic Side up till now may have been allowed, but anything further might make him and anyone else associated with such contact a target."

After that revelation, Seria replied: "I have to agree with Othinus-san on that point. Mitsuari-san, in general, how secure are our means of communications to some party outside of Academy City?"

"First of all, let's all understand this," responded Ayu, "At least from the perspective of Science, no communications method is absolutely secure. At best, it's secure only until someone figures out a way to intercept and break through whatever means were used to encrypt said communication. The science and technology of this City is still far ahead of the rest of the world, so I'm certain that, at present, no outside individual or party can intercept anything we might send or receive. If any such communication is intercepted, it would likely be done from within Academy City."

"If that is the case," interjected Touma, "and on the assumption that Science does not detect the use of Magic, and vice versa, is there any way or means from the Magic Side that would permit us to communicate with someone, similar to using telephones, e-mail and the like?", at this point, Touma turned to Index and Othinus.

"I know of nothing immediately, Touma, but I can investigate via the grimoires." replied Index.

"Likewise, while I no longer possess the powers of a Magic God, I still retain the knowledge. I too shall do some research. Seems we're seeing more benefits from your three weeks of make-up lessons for you to think of that, human." quipped Othinus

"Ah – there may still be a problem." cut in Misaki, "If, as we understand it, Magic cannot be used by Academy City's espers, if a means of, so-to-call-it, magical communication exists, who among us can use it?"

"Let's cross that bridge when we find out that there is a way, Shokuhou-san." came back Seria. "At least what we've discussed over these last few minutes does make one thing clear to me; if we proceed further with this, we are all likely putting ourselves at risk from one or more unknown persons. Othinus-san's speculation that there may have been established some sort of conspiracy against Touma since he came to this City is sounding more and more plausible. If there's any truth behind that, it would be foolhardy to think that we'd be easily allowed to do anything that will undermine that conspiracy. Therefore, and in all seriousness, I think we should decide, individually and collectively, whether we should go on from this point, bearing in mind that, if we do, we will probably have no means of turning back."

After a few seconds, it was none other than Touma, whose next statement seemingly closed the issue: "Another place and time, a short answer might do, but I feel I must state it like this. Firstly, notwithstanding the general unfortunate trend of my life to this point, I'm grateful that I'm the current bearer of Imagine Breaker, because, even if right now I don't recall all that has happened before July of this year, I'm certain that I've either helped or saved others, in ways I probably couldn't have without it. Some if not all of that might have been a bit of what might be called good luck, but I realize that I can't keep relying on whatever good luck comes my way, if I'm to protect anything or anyone I consider important to me. Secondly, if indeed there is some conspiracy that has kept me in the position I seem to have occupied since I first came to Academy City, now that I know of it, I see no point in letting such a thing continue. As Kumokawa-sempai indicated, we have the better part of two weeks to deal with the issue of Imagine Breaker and the possibility of my memories. I suggest we go forward, now, and quickly, so as to minimize anyone else getting involved in this, especially if there may be some opposition laying in wait. Finally, the three of you," looking at Ayu, Misaki and Seria in no specific order, "have no doubt put much effort into getting us to where we are right now. For all we know, by doing so, if Othi-chan's conspiracy idea is an actual fact, you may already be at risk, and for my own sake. Therefore, if anyone thinks I will either let your efforts fall by the wayside or leave any of you exposed to potential danger on my account, any such person is under an illusion, ...and I will break that illusion of theirs."

There was silence for a few moments as Touma concluded his little address … if for no other reason than luminous and visible blushes were fully upon the faces of Ayu, Misaki and Seria. Strangely enough, only Index and Othinus seemed to immediately notice that occurrence.

"I don't know how he was able to say all that seemingly in one breadth; maybe that is his true ability." Othinus whispered to Index. "More likely, it's just Touma being Touma." replied Index in a whispered tone, a slight pout upon her own face.

Before another word could be said, Tsuchimikado poked his head around the cove into the living room, exclaiming: "Pardon my intrusion, but, your clothes are all cleaned up and ready for you, Kami-yan. If you're all done, I'll bring in your boxes of fine dining a la Kami-yan."

That last comment seemed to at least partially snap Seria, Ayu and Misaki out of their momentary daze. "P-please do, then." Seria managed to vocalize.

"Well then, if you'll all excuse me, I'll go get my own gear back." said Touma, rising from the table, before proceeding to the bathroom. Before actually departing, and at Ayu's request, Touma left his phone behind, for the purpose of installing the communications app, previously prepared. A few minutes later after that was accomplished, Tsuchimikado entered the living room space, bearing a tray containing the three food boxes. The scent of their contents, recently warmed up, slowly filled the area around the table; for the moment, it seemed to have the effect of completely snapping the girls out of their daze, while Index, as she often does at the scent of Touma's cooking, began to drool, in anticipation no doubt of the feast awaiting their return to their place of lodging.

"Please don't mind us." announced Othinus to Seria and the others. "No doubt our own portions are waiting for us back at his apartment."

"In that case," replied Misaki, even as Seria, Ayu and herself, so-to-say, assumed the position before their respective boxes, chopsticks in hand and hands clasped together, simultaneously declaring: "Thanks for the food." With that, each picked up a portion of the food, inserted same into their mouths …

… _and froze._

Index and Othinus looked upon the scene, curiously. Their three hosts each had their heads down, with their faces barely visible, and strangely enough, they seemed to be trembling slightly; something that Index and Othinus had never experienced themselves, when it came to Touma's cooking skills. After about fifteen seconds, they simultaneously raised their heads, each face aglow with eyes open wide. Having apparently swallowed their respective portions, they exclaimed as one: "DELICIOUS!" - causing Index and Othinus to do a double-take at their reactions to the food just sampled.

"Looks like that human has outdone himself." chipped in Othinus to Index, who had apparently started to drool again, accompanied by stomach growls, "although perhaps the quality of food may also have something to do with their reaction."

A few minutes later, Touma, dressed once more in his own clothes, accompanied by Tsuchimikado re-entered the living room. Upon his re-entry, Seria, Ayu and Misaki, almost at the risk of incurring whiplash, turned swiftly towards Touma, faces still glowing and eyes still open wide, before lunging towards him as might a trio of ravenous wolves (perhaps in this instance, she-wolves) pounce upon their chosen prey. Even one as nimble and agile as Kamijou had become from many weeks of dodging onslaughts from delinquents could not stand firm against that sudden zerg-like rush; perhaps sensing it coming rather than seeing it, Tsuchimikado was quick to slip out of the way, but not before he reached for his phone. Only Touma suddenly being pressed against a nearby wall saved the four of them from falling to the floor. The next moment, Touma was bombarded with a barrage of seemingly random comments from three arguably attractive young ladies at very close range, and in no specific order:

Ayu: "THERE'S NO WAY THAT A BOY'S COOKING IS SUPPOSED TO TASTE THIS GOOD, TOUMA-SAN!"

Misaki: "I CAN'T BE SATISFIED WITH WHAT SCHOOL GARDEN HAS TO OFFER AGAIN … TAKE RESPONSIBILITY, MY PRINCE!"

Seria: "GENDER EQUALITY BE DAMNED; YOU MUST TEACH ME ALL YOUR CULINARY SECRETS, TOUMA-KUN!"

In the heat of that moment, there was no way Tsuchimikado could hold back from snapping at least one picture … he rationalized that, even if he was found out later, it would be worth it. Meanwhile, having recovered from a jaw drop of her own at this development, Othinus was content to smirk at Touma's current position. Index was torn between her usual jealousy at Touma "being Touma" (again), and the scent of food teasing her to press for a return to Touma's dorm to partake of the promised feast.

After Misaki, Seria and Ayu had calmed themselves down, albeit with renewed blushing, preparations were made for the Kamijou household to take their departure. It was agreed that within no more than 48 hours, they would meet again – either in person, or over the messaging group – to determine where things stood, and to work out the next course of action. For now, and as agreed, Touma, Index and Othinus has their part to play in the next likely steps, as did Seria. After thanking their hosts for their hospitality, the Kamijou household, accompanied by Tsuchimikado began the trek back to their dormitory.

 

Some ten minutes or so later, Seria, Ayu and Misaki were practically lounging around the living room table, each with a satisfied smile upon their faces, and with (literally) not one morsel of food left in the boxes. Before another word could be said, a beeping sound came from Ayu's tablet. "Looks like we might have got something at last, Kumokawa-san." stated Ayu, as she wiped her hands before reaching for the tablet.

To summarize it up, at Seria's request, Ayu had initiated a search, with the intention of ultimately finding out the person or persons responsible for the leaking of the Parameter List. Naturally, in an age of virtual private networks, personal firewalls and anonymous I.P. addresses, that exercise would be a daunting one; however, Kumokawa's position as a Director's advisor gave her both legal and "semi-legal" access to technology that would ordinarily be out of reach of the average high-school student. It was via the access and use of one such item of technology that the search was conducted. Granted there may have been margins of error to account for, and even if an individual had concocted multiple identities and used any one at any time to access the Internet, it all came down to a matter of time before a trace could either pinpoint a specific individual, or at least narrow it down the results to list a selected group, based upon the particular search parameters involved. In this case, the end-result of the search came down to revealing a single name, as identifying the person most likely to have been the active internet user corresponding to the uploading and distribution of the Parameter List.

"Ugh." exclaimed Ayu, prompting a look of curiosity from Seria and Misaki.

"Somehow, that "ugh" suggests we may be in for a nasty surprise, Mitsuari-san." was Seria's response. "Might as well get it over with."

"Well then, prepare yourself, both of you." replied Ayu with a sigh, as she slid the tablet into Misaki's and Seria's view, where they saw the name displayed. At the sight, Misaki face-palmed, while Seria immediately began massaging her temples as if to ward off a headache.

**_Tsuchimikado Motoharu._ **

Silence reigned in the room for about 30 seconds before Seria spoke again: "I'm restraining myself from taking any immediate action, and it's not outside the bounds of possibility that Tsuchimikado might have been set up, but at the same time, I know enough about him to accept that it's equally possible for him to do something like this, although I can't think of a reason why."

"If for no other reason that he's a friend and classmate of Touma, I'd like to apply the benefit of the doubt and assume that this is no mere random prank." was Misaki's response. "Even if among ourselves we agree that there are elements of this City we probably don't agree with, the rude awakening this release has imposed upon the population-at-large, and all the chaos and violence that arose out of it can't be taken lightly. What do you say: should we call Tsuchimikado-san in to present our findings to him?"

"Not right now." came back Seria, "we'll hold off raising the issue just for the moment. Only two things concern me. One: for all we know, other persons may be doing a similar investigation regarding the leak of the Parameter List, and by others, I don't refer to Judgement or Anti-Skill." Misaki and Ayu nodded silently, understanding Seria's indirect reference to as-yet unknown entities within Academy City's Dark Side. "If such an investigation is going on, we have no guarantees how those others may react or respond if his name pops up. Two: which is perhaps more significant IF Tsuchimikado is definitely the culprit, I'm more concerned if any repercussions of this somehow find their way to Touma, even if I trust that Touma personally had nothing to do with the matter."

"Well, in response to that, I probably don't need to remind you, Kumokawa-san, but I'll say it." came in Misaki at that point, "perhaps in times past, you were so-to-say single-handedly watching over Touma. As of now, it's different … you have Mitsuari-san and myself at your side. Even if we're not yet at the level of emulating Touma's heroic ability, I'm certain that, between the three of us, we will protect Touma from any fallout, direct or indirect, that might arise out of this. And if Touma gets caught up in any "fallout" as you suggested, those responsible for it will inevitably answer to us." That last comment seemed to hold a tone akin to a sharp blade being drawn from its sheath.

"Agreed." was Ayu's response.

"Agreed also, and well said." replied Seria.


	5. A Wind From Across The Seas

In accordance with the adage that 'time does not stand still', even as the plan to enable Kamijou Touma to pass the recently-concluded school year was being executed, other activities which would inevitably impact upon him and those of Academy City as a whole were themselves being set in motion, some 2,900 kilometres to the south and west – namely, in the city of Guangzhou (or if one chose to use its romanized name, Canton) in mainland China. Said activities formed no part of any official tourist attraction for visitors to that city; in fact, unless a person was, at the very least, affiliated with the Magic Side, they would probably come and go about their business or pleasure, knowing nothing about these activities. Those carrying out said activities were the members of, for want of a better word, an esoteric organization known as _Shén Fēng De Shèhuì_ , which would be roughly translated as: Society Of The Divine Wind. The Society, whose existence could be traced back to the Qin Dynasty, yet for the most part remained relatively unknown to the majority of the Chinese population, were practitioners of a unique blend of traditional Chinese medicinal skills; some of which were sought out even in this current time as an alternative means of treatment to modern Western medicine, in addition to the arts and techniques of Feng Shui. Behind those immediate subjects lay a complex system of mystical arts, generally rooted around hypnotism, thought projection and reception, often supplemented by the use of potions and other simple chemical concoctions, and even a little-known system of martial arts, derived from their medicinal knowledge of pressure points around the human body. While there indeed existed more highly specialized magical techniques known to a select few within the Society, these were, for the most part, concealed, and, even during the history of the Society, were only utilized if a consensus was reached to do so.

At around the time when the project orchestrated by Kumokawa, Shokuhou and Mitsuari was being revealed to the Kamijou household in Academy City, something was taking place in a relatively unmarked building located in a suburban area of the city of Guangzhou. Within a room filled for the most part with boxes containing a wide assortment of documents, two persons were seated around a large table in roughly the center of the room. One was an adult woman, seemingly small in physical stature (standing up, she would probably be under five feet in height), yet even while sitting down, a palpable aura emanated from her, suggesting a perpetual mood of serenity, grace and power (albeit held in reserve at the moment). This woman, wearing traditional clothing, with a book open before her on the table, and a group of books beside her, was the the current Matriarch of the Society. To her right sat a young man: on first impression, a teenager by appearance, of seemingly average build, wearing western-style clothing, yet seeming to display the mannerisms of a small animal at times. This young man, bearing the name Tsu Shin, at the moment typing away with fluid and rapid movements upon a tablet, was one of many junior members of the Society, yet at the moment, his purpose here was to utilize his own practical knowledge of modern-day technology.

The Matriarch suddenly raised her head from the book before her to glance at the door to the room; a few seconds later, there was a knock on the door from the other side. "Enter." said the Matriarch, in a voice that, on first impression, might remind one of a deep-pitched chime. Upon opening the door, a middle-aged man, also wearing traditional clothing entered and proceed to the table. Stopping about a foot's distance before the Matriarch, the man bowed slightly, clasping his left hand over his right hand with said right hand clenched into a fist – this being one variation of the Chinese "fist and palm salute", declaring: _"Jiāzhăng (Matriarch)"_.

The Matriarch responded in turn with the same salute: "Won Tse; I take it you bear more news."

To this, Won Tse replied: "Yes, Jiāzhăng; ever since the first stirrings had manifested themselves, and as per your instructions, we have continued with the various divination rituals. Even up to now, they all point to a future event, and one which may be a threat against the present and future existence of Shén Fēng." The young man with the tablet glanced up for a moment at that pronouncement, then continued his typing, as Won Tse continued: "However, I regret that, up to this point, we cannot clearly identify the exact nature or composition of this event; all we have been able to do is to zoom in upon the approximate location of its likely point of origin."

"And said likely point of origin is …?" inquired the Matriarch.

"The city-state located just outside of Tokyo, Japan, known as Academy City." was Won Tse's reply.

"Ai-yah", responded the Matriarch, "and 'twould seem from other investigations, both mystical and non-mystical, that other persons or groups belonging to the so-called Magic Side in other parts of the world are coming to a similar conclusion, if they have not already done so."

"Indeed," continued Won Tse, "also as per your instructions, we have attempted to make contact with those persons or groups of which we know, requesting the opportunity to dialogue with them concerning what may well be a common threat. To date, only a handful of these organizations have at least acknowledged receiving our notices, while others have not replied at all."

"A pity, but it is to be expected, after centuries of general mistrust and animosity among the various mystical societies of the world." the Matriarch continued. "Perhaps the potential threat facing the Magic Side has to become less of a potentiality and more of an actuality, before some if not all of them decide to act on what they probably already know; that there is strength in numbers. Even if during that incident where the so-called Magic God called Othinus was the target of the world, our Society was for the most part an observer; nonetheless, we did see an alliance of sorts between the Church Of England, the Roman Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church, so such a thing is indeed possible."

Turning to the young man seated beside her, the Matriarch changed the course of the conversation: "A moment please, Tsu Shin … does your searching of the so-called information superhighway have anything to add to that obtained to date via our divination methods?"

To this, Tsu Shin responded: "Up to my last browsing session a few hours ago, Jiāzhăng, the news reports state that Academy City appears to be returning to a normal state of activity, following the as-yet unexplained heat wave, as well as the sightings of strange creatures of as-yet unknown origin. The City had been effectively cut off from the world for roughly a 48-hour period, so it is presently unclear as to exactly what has happened during that time."

"I see. Thank you, Tsu Shin … you may resume your work." intoned the Matriarch, before turning her attention back to Won Tse.

"Ordinarily, I would assemble the Society's elders to discuss the matter, but I have a feeling that time is of the essence regarding the discovery of the nature of that which threatens our existence. There is of course the so-called Magic-Science Treaty, which, though established years ago, is probably only as effective as it is enforced and regulated properly by both Sides. Nonetheless, the quickest way I can think of without using somewhat extreme methods is to dispatch someone or a few of our members to investigate directly within Academy City itself, and to do so as soon as possible."

"Forgive me for raising a point of which you no doubt are already aware, Jiāzhăng," interjected Won Tse, "but in all likelihood arising out of said Treaty, persons belonging to magic organizations and societies such as ours require special permission to enter Academy City, and, even if so far as we know Science cannot detect Magic and vice versa, anyone known to be a magic user may still be subject to restricted movements as well as surveillance."

"There is no harm in reminding me of that point, Won Tse," replied the Matriarch. "The Society's initial appearance to the modern world as practitioners of alternative medicine may be a suitable cover through which we may devise a conventional way in and out. Entering and exiting the City by, shall-we-say, unconventional methods is within our capacity to do, and is not entirely ruled out, but I will only take that approach if conventional means do not permit us to move in a timely fashion. Aside from the immediate issue of the potential threat, there is another item connected with Academy City, which, although the Society has not addressed it in any way up till now, the time for doing so may indeed be upon us."

After a moment's pause, the Matriarch continued, "Tell me, Won Tse … have you ever heard of that which is called the Imagine Breaker?" Both Won and Tsu paused at the utterance of that phrase.

Following that pause, Won Tse replied: "I have heard of this Imagine Breaker on occasion since my childhood years, having grown up in the Society, as you know well, Jiāzhăng. However, I cannot say that I've ever encountered a complete explanation of what it is, or what it does, other than being taught that it is something capable of affecting, if not outright negating supernatural powers."

"That is perhaps to be expected." continued the Matriarch. "All indications are that most if not all magical societies have some knowledge of Imagine Breaker; how well the subject is documented or recorded is another matter. Regarding this task currently being led by Tsu Shin of transcribing and archiving all the cumulative knowledge of Shén Fēng using modern technology, there may yet be some documented knowledge of the subject, although I cannot immediately recall the extent of the contents of any such documents, and one can only hope that any such documents in our possession are still legible today. I raised the subject of Imagine Breaker, if for no other reason than the current possessor of Imagine Breaker is a young Japanese male who, according to our research, is a resident and student of Academy City."

After a moment's pause, the Matriarch declared: "It is decided. Won Tse; you will immediately lead inquiries regarding devising both a conventional way of entering and exiting Academy City, as well as an unconventional way, if the conventional method cannot be executed quickly. I will give notice that all our resources as well as our information network are to be placed at your full disposal for this. Within no more than 48 hours from now, we shall decide on which method to implement. Also, by that time, I shall decide who shall be sent to Academy City. The primary purpose of the expedition is to investigate more deeply and to discover the potential threat against Shén Fēng, and, by extension, the Magic Side as a whole; the secondary purpose, which shall be carried out on my instruction only, is to make contact with the current bearer of Imagine Breaker."

"As you command, Jiāzhăng." replied Won Tse, giving the salute, before departing to begin his appointed task.

 

The scene has shifted back to Japan and Academy City; specifically, the Kamijou Residence. It is the day after the feast, attended by the Tsuchimikado step-siblings and the Kamijou household, and it was quite an enjoyable occasion for all. Also, it seemed that Touma's tendency for misfortune had spared him on this occasion, in that there were no emergency trips to the bathroom, or more seriously to A Certain Hospital, either by those who were present at the feast, or those who received food boxes as thanks for their assistance regarding Touma passing his school year. Indeed, an e-mail was subsequently passed from Kumokawa Maria to her elder sibling, complimenting the cooking skills of Seria's "boyfriend" (perhaps not an actual fact at the moment, but Maria was sharp enough to recognize Seria's feelings towards Touma, so, as siblings seem to do at all times, some teasing took place).

Touma, having arisen rather early, was moving between the laundry room and the kitchen of his apartment, conducting a quick inventory of the remaining foodstuffs – notwithstanding the decision to have the feast and enjoy themselves once in a while, his present reality of being a Level 0 Esper, with two freeloading house-guests (three if Sphynx is counted also) was enough of a reminder that he should take it upon himself to maintain prudent management of both his meager finances as well as the remainder of the additional foodstuffs. He had practically finished this task when Index and Othinus approached him.

"Morning, human." quipped Othinus, from her perch atop Index's right shoulder. "Before breakfast is served, there's something that Index and I want to discuss with you."

Something in Othinus's tone of voice seemed to catch Touma's attention, so he responded: "Morning, Index-san, Othi-chan … alright, shall we talk right here, or should we assemble round the kotatsu?"

After glancing at the former Magic God for a second, Index responded in turn with a raised right hand, joined by Othinus: "Kotatsu it is."

A minute or so later, Touma and Index were seated around the kotatsu in the apartment's living room, while Othinus and Sphynx were upon its upper surface. Having settled in, Touma then asked: "So, Index-san, Othinus-san, what's on your mind?"

"Firstly, and to get it out of the way, good work on yesterday's feast." responded Othinus, as Index nodded her agreement. "Secondly, do you recall what took place at the meeting we attended yesterday, where we met with your upperclassman, Kumokawa-san, and others?"

After a few seconds, Touma replied: "Yes, I recall Kumokawa-sempai being there, as well as another girl; I recall her name as Mitsuari Ayu-san. If I were to sum it all up briefly, they're looking for a way to solve the matter of my misfortune, as well as that of my memories …" There was a pause of about ten seconds before Touma continued: "Somehow I seem to have a vague recollection that someone else might have been there, but I cannot put a face or name to any other person." Index and Othinus had looked at each other during that pause.

"It seems to be just as it was told to us, yesterday, while you were changing clothes, Touma." stated Index. "There was a third girl present, but you have apparently lost the ability to retain memory of her. There's supposed to be something installed on your phone yesterday that should clue you in as to who she is."

"Hmm, … well, if that's the case, I might as well shed some light on this mystery." said Touma, getting up from the kotatsu to pick up his phone. On returning to his place at the kotatsu, and as Index stated, he noticed an icon on its screen that was unfamiliar to him. On clicking the icon, and with Index and Othinus moving in close to view, the profile and picture of Shokuhou Misaki appeared on the phone's screen.

After reading the contents of the profile, including notice that a particular communications app had also been installed on his phone, and then putting down the phone, Touma remarked: "Well, that was rather unexpected … although knowing what tends to happen in my life, perhaps I should not be surprised."

"There's a lot more to it that you probably realize, human; either that, or you're deliberately being oblivious to the issue." chipped in Othinus. "I picked up on it during our initial talk with them, and even if Index might be reluctant to raise it, I'm sure she picked up on it in her own way, also. Even if right now you have no recall of your past with Shokuhou-san, Kumokawa-san and Mitsuari-san prior to your memory loss six months ago, if I state it bluntly, the only likely reason they'd put in as much effort as they have up till now regarding seeking a solution to your misfortune and memory issues is that they like you."

Touma made no visible reaction to Othinus's comment, but, after a few seconds, turned to Index: "Well, Othi-chan has been her usual direct self on that point … do you think the same way, Index-san?" Touma asked in a gentle tone of voice.

Index for her part had a faint blush on her face, but proceeded to reply: "I agree with Othinus, Touma … somehow I suspect that, in another time and place, any one of them or all three would blame me for causing of your memory loss, even if it could be argued I did so indirectly, but Seria-san and the others all assured me that they don't hold it against me. The question now is: now that you're aware of this, what are you going to do about it?"

After a further pause, Touma replied: "This seems rather similar to a conversation I had roughly a month ago, but I'm certain my position remains now as I decided then, and it's probably for the best that we clear the air on it right now. I'm willing to agree that there may be some attraction present between either of these ladies, if not all of them, and myself. However, so long as my misfortune is present, I personally will not pursue any relationship, for want of a better term, "beyond friends" with any of them; that incident yesterday with being almost smothered by snow is a clear-cut example of what I wouldn't wish to expose anyone else to. If – and I stress the word "If" – a solution is found to my misfortune and memory issues, I'll deal with any potential relationship issue further at that point, and not otherwise."

After a further pause, Touma continued: "Quick reminder, Othi-chan: are you stuck in your current form forever?"

Othinus quipped back: "Unless some factor comes into play of which I currently have no knowledge, yes."

Touma pressed on: "Then, in all likelihood, the safest place for you to be is at the side of, as you put it, one who truly understands you, as opposed to abandoning you to be preyed upon by elements of either the Magic or Science Side who even now may still be afraid of you. And that is something this Kamijou-san will not do, to you or anyone else. Even if it's a moot point, do we understand one another on that?"

Touma finished his reply with a clenched fist put before the former Magic God, who responded in turn accompanied by a fist-bump: "Clear as crystal, human."

Turning to Index, Touma spoke again: "It's similar if not the same between you and me, Index-san … I honestly don't recall all the particular details regarding how or why I ended up being your caretaker and guardian. From what you and Heaven Canceller told me, the only other persons who were present or in close vicinity at the moment six months ago when I lost my memories were Stiyl and Kanzaki-san, so perhaps someday, we should seriously have a talk with either or both of them to get to the bottom of that issue. Nonetheless, I accepted my lot as taking care of you, and I will stick to it. If the day ever comes when you decide for yourself that you want to go somewhere else, and you tell me so, then at that point, and only then, I will let you go. Is that good enough for you?"

Index paused before responding by getting up from her place and proceeding to give Touma a hug, to which Touma responded by gently patting her on her head. After about 30 or so seconds, Index broke the hug, with a beaming smile on her face: "So as Touma has stated, so let it be done."

Othinus commented to Touma: "Is it just me, or did Index borrow a line from some movie she probably saw on TV?"

"Your guess on that is as good as mine, as Index probably watches much more TV than I do." Touma remarked.

"Right, then." Touma declared, "Unless there is anything else to discuss on that point, and having checked our stores, it's time to prepare breakfast; then as we discussed with Kumokawa-sempai and the others yesterday, we have work to do. After breakfast, I'll drop by Tsuchimikado; it makes sense that someone who's also connected with Necessarius as he is might have a way, direct or indirect, to reach Ollerus-san."

"Sounds good, human." came back Othinus. "We'll look up the possibilities, pros and cons of magical communication while you're out."

 

"I'm certain that Kakeru- _onii-chan_ is still somewhere in this City … even if the others may not be keen on seeing me again, I want to see him again." a pouting voice called out from within Tsuchimikado's apartment.

"Like I said, Karasuma-san, our movements are rather restricted right now, and it's not altogether inconceivable that _that bastard_ is not only still alive, but may be looking for a way to strike at us even now. The safest place for you and I right now is here, until I can figure out some way to get you out of this City." was the curt reply of Tsuchimikado Motoharu. Said reply was directed to a young girl named Karasuma Fran, currently a former member of the Faction that had gathered around Kamisato Kakeru, the bearer of the World Rejector, but who was actually an agent of Necessarius, similar to Motoharu.

At the moment, Fran was poking around at her sizable pack of equipment, which presently occupied a fair space of the living room, while Motoharu was seated on the sofa nearby, seemingly browsing something on his phone. Aside from making a few mandatory appearances at school to keep up his cover as an Academy City student, plus his 'extra-curricular work' at the direction of Kumokawa Seria, this was for now the safest place for both Motoharu and Fran, in the wake of what happened in the final hours of the 48-Hours Affair.

To summarize it all, after Kamisato had apparently been retrieved from banishment to another world and the plans of Kihara Yuiitsu had been brought to naught, Fran had found herself within the Windowless Building, her true identity as a Magic User and agent of Necessarius revealed, and, in all likelihood, she would have been subjected to a rather unpleasant fate, were it not for the timely and brutal intervention of Motoharu; 'brutal' as in, with a loaded gun in his hand, and the knowledge of how to use it. The person who was the target of Motoharu's intervening action (the "bastard" who he supposed to be still alive) was none other than Aleister Crowley, the General Superintendent of Academy City, and, as it turned out, a Magic User bearing as his magic name: "Beast 666". Citing Crowley's apparent failure to protect his step-sister (Tsuchimikado Maika) during the attack of the Elements as the reason for his current course of action, Tsuchimikado, in rather dramatic fashion, turned upon Crowley (one of many individuals or organizations with which he had associated as a spy), thus living up to his title as "the Backstabbing Blade".

There was no time to confirm whether Crowley was dead, so Motoharu and Fran made a hasty exit from the Windowless Building, but not before Motoharu, who had prepared for it some weeks in advance and had it as a contingency plan, decided to leave a parting-gift for the General Superintendent, if he survived … namely, the wide-spread release of the Parameter List, which was actuated via some remote means once communications were more or less restored across the City. On the assumption that Crowley was indeed still alive, Motoharu deduced and indicated to Fran that, for the moment, their best chance of survival was to be in close proximity to Kamijou Touma; hence Fran was holed up in Motoharu's apartment, while Tsuchimikado was careful not to reveal her presence, even during the move to help Touma pass the school year. Looking back on the results of leaking the List, if Motoharu had any second feelings regarding his actions, he did not show them or yield to them; notwithstanding his typical demeanor as a professional spy, Maika's well-being meant everything to him, and woe betide anything or anyone that potentially threatened that.

Suddenly, in a reversal of what had happened a few weeks ago, the doorbell to Tsuchimikado's apartment rang, and it was Touma's voice that called out to him. Switching to a video app on his phone, linked to a concealed micro-camera (one of the attributes of being a professional spy), Tsuchimikado confirmed that it was indeed his neighbor at the door, before proceeding to let him in.

"Morning, Tsuchimi … eh? Karasuma-san – you're here?" Touma's greeting was interrupted as he recognized who else was in Motoharu's apartment.

"Ah, hello again, Kamijou-san." was Fran's reply.

"Oh yes, you two haven't seen each other since the 48-Hours affair ended, but here's a news flash for you, Kami-Yan. Karasuma here is not only a Kamisato Faction member; she's also an agent of Necessarius, like yours truly." responded Tsuchimikado. Right now, I'm making arrangements for her to leave Academy City; that's why she's here, _nya_."

"Hmm, now that you've brought up the subject of Necessarius, that's why I'm here." replied Touma. "Following our discussion yesterday with Kumokawa-sempai and the others, I need a way to get in touch with Ollerus-san; I figured either you might have something on you, or you can get it from someone in Necessarius."

"More likely it'll be the latter option, Kami-Yan." came back Tsuchimikado. "Allowing for the time difference between Japan and England, an e-mail, probably to Aquinas-san or Cromwell-san should get you what you need. I'll arrange with Karasuma to send it shortly."

"Thanks … Oh, I don't know whether sempai happened to mention it to you yesterday, but she indicated that, as part of this quest regarding my misfortune and memories, she'd look up to see if there's a way to contact Academy City's General Superintendent." continued Touma. Tsuchimikado seemed to turn deathly pale at that statement; a reaction that momentarily stunned both Touma and Fran.

After a few seconds, Motoharu spoke again: "When is she planning to start looking into that?", a strange tone in his voice as he spoke.

Touma replied: "Seeing that we will get together within another day or so, she might be doing so even now."

Snatching up his phone, Tsuchimikado proceeded to his apartment door, with the words: "Got to make a quick phone call. You and Karasuma keep each other company in the meanwhile, Kami-Yan.", before exiting rather quickly.

After a moment's pause, Touma commented: "Somehow I get the feeling that something rather unpleasant is going on; I've never seen Tsuchimikado react like that before."

"To be honest, something did happen after we got separated, Kamijou-san." replied Fran, "but I think it's best you hear about it from Tsuchimikado-san."

 

Outside on the balcony, Tsuchimikado was on his phone speaking to Kumokawa Seria. "I'm very serious about this, sempai, and you should be grateful that Kami-Yan mentioned it to me when he did … under no circumstances should you or anyone else attempt to contact the General Superintendent, especially if it's in connection with Kami-Yan.", the serious tone in his voice once more present.

After a moment, Seria replied: "Judging from your tone, I'll accept your advice, although I can't help but wonder whether this has any connection with the leakage of a certain document to the outside world."

Tsuchimikado flinched visibly at her reply, then continued: "Seriously; I'm prepared to meet with the three of you at some point, and we can even include Kami-Yan and his house-guests if you see fit; at which point, I'll tell you what else I happen to know, but my advice still stands. Come to think about it, it's probably better I divulge what I know of my own free will than have your mind-reading companions pry it out of my skull; they might inadvertently pick up on certain things that they shouldn't."

"I'll hold you to that, Tsuchimikado-san, in due time." was Seria's reply, before hanging up. Wiping sweat from his brow, Tsuchimikado re-entered his apartment.

"Just nipped something in the bud, before it became a rather big problem, that's all." he declared to both Touma and Fran, both of them momentarily looking at him askance. "Well, let's get that e-mail out, Karasuma-san."

"Karasuma tells me that something happened after she and I got separated." remarked Touma. "Somehow I get the feeling it's probably unpleasant as well as important. Per chance are you going to reveal it now, or maybe when we meet up with sempai and the others later?"

With a strange dark glint reflecting in his sunglasses, Tsuchimikado replied: "Later will be fine, Kami-Yan.", after which, Touma declined from pressing the matter further, for the moment.

 

Meanwhile, and following that impromptu phone call from Tsuchimikado, a message exchange takes place between Ayu, Misaki and Seria:

Seria: _"I got, shall-we-say, advised by Tsuchimikado, and rather emphatically, not to attempt to contact the General Superintendent, particularly if it's in connection with Touma."_

Ayu: _"Seems that by his actions he's gradually confirming himself via his actions to be the source of the leak of the Parameter List. I presume we might find out more of that at some later date."_

Misaki: _"That should prove interesting, at the least. Shall either Mitsuari-san or I try a direct mind-read, or leave it for the while?"_

Seria: _"We'll leave it for now. By the way, Shokuhou-san, any word from Touma regarding getting in touch with this Ollerus person."_

Misaki: _"I just received a message from Touma; says he expects to get something within two hours from now."_

Seria: _"Fine … for the moment, we'll leave it to him."_

 

Roughly two hours later, a reply came from Orsola Aquinas, albeit in her own unique & inimitable style (including conveying regards of quite a few Necessarius members to "Kamijou-san"), which Tsuchimikado happily relayed onto his neighbor. Specifically, the reply included a mobile contact number for Ollerus, a suggested time (again, allowing for time difference between Italy and Japan) when to call, and the option to do a video call, using a free and internationally known communications app. Barring any unforseen emergency or incident, he can be reached at the stated time. A check by Karasuma Fran has confirmed that, for the most part, the app suggested to use in contacting Ollerus is secure enough, unless anyone is deliberately monitoring specific phone numbers.

"Well, that's one hurdle crossed; I'll be back at the required time, and I'll bring Index and Othinus with me." said Touma.

"Right-o … I'll have Karasuma set up a laptop so that we can view it all together rather than on a phone screen, _nya_." was Tsuchimikado's response.

Meanwhile, Index's and Othinus's research revealed that, while some obscure methods of magical communication exist, their effectiveness is reduced over long distances, and they also require establishment of relatively large magic circles, which in turn may render them more susceptible to detection by some unknown party. In turn, Tsuchimikado had noted that communications technology has been embraced as a practical necessity by most magical organizations, even to the point of using secure and encrypted means. Since time is of the essence, it is decided that the call to Ollerus will proceed; they will rely on Index's perfect memory in order to take such notes as they can to pass onto Seria and the others, later.

 

At the appointed hour, Touma, Index (and Sphynx), Othinus, Tsuchimikado and Fran were gathered in Tsuchimikado's apartment, with a laptop set up and connected to Touma's phone, so that they can engage in a video call with Ollerus. After a few seconds of connecting, the call went through and Ollerus came up face-to-face with the group.

"Nice to see you once again, this time under more pleasant circumstances, Kamijou Touma." intoned Ollerus in his usual easy-going manner.

"Likewise, Ollerus-san, and probably any circumstance is better than going head-to-head against two Saints at once." replied Touma.

"Same to you also, Othinus; I take it you're pretty much used to your new lifestyle by now." said Ollerus to the former Magic God.

"Aside from being the occasional plaything of that darn cat, I've adapted to it well enough." was Othinus's own reply.

After brief but formal introductions passed around, Ollerus continued: "I admit, I was surprised to get notice that you wanted to get in touch with me, Kamijou, as I didn't get any in-depth reason for it from Necessarius. My first guess is that it has something to do with Imagine Breaker, correct?"

Very much so, Ollerus-san." replied Touma. "Put simply, I, and by extension, my companions, want to know whether you know anything more about it beyond what we talked about roughly a month ago, or whether you can point us to where we might find out more."

"Fair enough." came back Ollerus, "but before I continue, how secure is this call; I'm no expert with science and technology, but you'd no doubt agree that some things should not be divulged if they can be easily intercepted."

"We checked the app Necessarius suggested to use to contact you, Ollerus-san." interjected Fran. "For all practical purposes, it is secure enough, but perhaps we should be as brief as possible on both sides."

"Good enough for me." was Ollerus's response, then he continued "Apart from what I divulged about Imagine Breaker to Kamijou back when I was in Academy City, there is little else that I know myself. In terms of finding out more, two options come to my mind: one being the so-called Magic Gods; I believe you encountered some or all of them a while back. They might be able to shed some more light, IF they could be contacted."

"That would be rather difficult right now, Ollerus; you may be aware that the surviving Magic Gods had been banished to another world some time ago by the one who bears the World Rejector." intoned Othinus. "The fact that, as this human relayed to us, said bearer has been returned to this world suggests that there are magical ways to communicate across worlds, if not bring them back, but they will likely require extensive preparation and, any spells of such complexity and magnitude will also render themselves susceptible to detection."

"True enough, Othinus." came back Ollerus "Even though your power is effectively zero, you still know your stuff. The other option is that some of the more obscure magical organizations to be found in other parts of the world may have knowledge of their own on Imagine Breaker; no-one comes to mind right now, but I can look up and relay whatever I can find."

"I appreciate it, Ollerus-san." responded Touma. "I should mention that I have less than two weeks before normal school activity resumes, so, anything you can relay in that time frame will be of help."

"By the way, Kamijou," stated Ollerus, his tone and manner shifting to a more serious one, "perhaps no-one in Necessarius has mentioned it to you as yet, but you should be aware that there are rumblings presently going on concerning a possible threat against literally anyone and everyone connected or associated with the Magic Side."

After a few seconds Touma responded, "This Kamijou-san has no knowledge of any such news prior to your disclosure, Ollerus-san."

Tsuchimikado interjected at that point: "Speaking for myself, I have heard a few things along that line, but as yet, they seem to be more speculations rather than anything concrete, _nya_."

Othinus interjected: "For the sake of time, this might have to be discussed in detail on another occasion, but, do you have any idea of where the possible threat is coming from, Ollerus?"

Ollerus in turn replied: "All indications are: from within Academy City, itself."

Everyone in the apartment, except Othinus and perhaps Sphynx, exclaimed: "EH?"

Ollerus continued: "Like your friend said, Kamijou, there is no iron-clad confirmation to date, but all investigations to date suggest that one or more individuals within Academy City seem to be formulating some sort of move to strike at and eliminate the Magic Side. Naturally it concerns me also, as I still retain what amounts to formidable knowledge of magic, even though I may never again attain the status of a Magic God, or a powerful magician."

Touma then replied: "To the best of my knowledge, the only people who have any sort of association with the Magic Side who are in Academy City are Index, Tsuchimikado, Karasuma-san and Othinus, and perhaps on some level I should include myself."

"That may indeed be true, Kamijou." came back Ollerus, "Let me clue you in to the climax of World War III. You recall the man known as Fiamma of the Right, no?"

"I do." replied Touma.

"Well, to keep it short, Silvia and I had found and rescued Fiamma, after his return to Earth. It seemed he had been attacked, defeated and left to die, by an unknown antagonist. It took a while to trace and confirm the identity of his attacker … someone once believed to have died years ago … **a magician called Edward Alexander Crowley**."

Now it was Tsuchimikado's turn to interject: "Oi, this is getting rather screwed-up, Ollerus-san. Personally, I only know of one person who bears the surname, Crowley, and if it is who I suspect it is ..."

"Your supposition is correct." continued Ollerus. "He now goes by the name of Aleister Crowley, the one who founded Academy City years ago, becoming its General Superintendent, and over time had spearheaded the creation of its Esper Power Development Program." Tsuchimikado scowled in apparent disgust, while Touma and Fran each had a slight jaw-drop at that statement.

"It's not that I doubt you, Ollerus-san," was Tsuchimikado's response, "but specifically has anyone confirmed this, and if so, whom?"

Ollerus replied: "Confirmation that Aleister Crowley and Edward Alexander Crowley are actually the same person had been given to me by none other than the Archbishop of the Church of England. Some time previously, she had covertly arranged for the exhumation of the body of Crowley from his supposed grave in England, only to discover that no body had actually been laid there, and that magical investigations confirm that there was never any body entombed. I should also point out that the Archbishop told me that, for now, she has only revealed this discovery to a few select persons, other than myself, but I declined to inquire as to who else may also have been informed of this."

The conversation might have gone on a while had not Tsuchimikado made the next statement: "Perhaps we should cut this call off at this point, and any further communication would be best done via messaging or e-mail; calls to be reserved only for dire emergencies."

"I tend to agree." replied Ollerus. "Not to worry, Kamijou; I shall make some inquiries on your matter, and pass on whatever I can find, as soon as possible."

"Once again, thanks for that, Ollerus-san." was Touma's parting comment as the call was terminated.

 

For about 30 seconds, no-one spoke in the wake of Ollerus's revelations ... specifically that a magician is, _de facto_ , the head of the Science Side, and, from all current indications, is intent on eradicating the Magic Side.

"I'm thinking right now, if we were going down a rabbit's hole, that hole is getting deeper and darker with everything we're now discovering." commented Touma.

"More precisely, Kami-Yan, it's probably a Killer Rabbit waiting for us at the bottom of the hole, _nya_ … if not a poisonous snake." remarked Tsuchimikado. "Suffice it to say that Ollerus-san did reveal part of what I promised to disclose to Kumokawa-sempai and her companions in time."

"Can you reveal all that to them, or for that matter, anyone else who's more connected to the Science Side?" was Touma's next question.

"Not to worry too much, Kami-Yan." came back Tsuchimikado. "Ordinarily, I'd pick and choose what to reveal of news like this to those of the Science Side, but if you or I withhold that sort of info now, sempai will not be amused to find it out later. And besides; those ladies are rather strong, individually and collectively; plus if things should get really unpleasant, then, as Aogami might no doubt put it, they have you to raise yet another "rescue romance" flag, _nya_."

"I'm still processing the implications of what we've just been told to make any comment one way or another about this flag nonsense you and Aogami like tossing my way." was Touma's reply. "Still, Ollerus-san did have a point as to indicating that perhaps any moment now I'll get a message or phone call from either Stiyl or Kanzaki-san concerning this. Index-san, did you get all of that?"

To which, Index replied with a nod: "Yes, Touma."

"In light of what has been revealed, human, might you be concerned regarding whether you must choose a Side if indeed war should break out between Science and Magic?" inquired Othinus.

"My so-called unique position notwithstanding, I'd rather not choose a Side at all; there are people on both Sides whom I consider allies, companions and friends." answered back Touma. "Maybe the best thing for us to do is find a solution to my misfortune, Imagine Breaker and my memories; possibly if that is done, I'd be in a better position to decide what to do, if war does indeed break out."

 

Almost simultaneously, within the headquarters of Necessarius in England, there was a rather vehement call by Stiyl Magnus (one of the few to whom the truth regarding Aleister Crowley has been revealed), suggesting that, with tensions between Academy City and the Magic Side as a whole being what they currently are, the Index Librorum Prohibitorum should be extracted from said City. However, to his amazement, A Certain Archbishop, all the while calmly sipping tea, firmly declined his suggestion.

"Things between both Sides are, shall-we-say, extremely delicate right now, Stiyl." Laura Stuart intoned in her usual playful mannerisms which, to those who had no clue of her true nature, concealed a personality probably as devious and manipulative as Aleister Crowley himself. "Any such action, as you suggest, would likely eliminate the possibility of the Index Librorum Prohibitorum being used either as a hostage or a bargaining tool, but if the timing is wrong, the consequences could be …" she opted not to finish her statement, leaving Stiyl to imagine (or try not to imagine) what those consequences could be.

Striving to maintain his composure, even while realizing that, for reasons all her own, Laura Stuart did not intend to change her mind on that subject, Stiyl then asked: "May I know then, what you recommend we do at this moment?"

Without a change in her tone, Laura responded: "If or when I see a suitable opportunity to take action along your suggested line, rest assured that you and Kanzaki-san will be the first to know. For now, perhaps you should trust and believe in that boy in whose care you left Index six or so months ago … the one who bears the Imagine Breaker. I have no detailed report on his activities, but I believe that, for the most part, he has done an adequate job of looking after Index up to now, and my instincts say that, he will continue to do so."

Taking a deep breadth and then exhaling slowly, so as to avoid any impulsive action on his part, Stiyl said in a (for-the-moment) resigned tone: "As you wish, Archbishop.", before turning to leave Laura Stuart's presence.

After Stiyl Magnus had departed, Laura Stuart paused from her cup of tea to engage in a silent conversation with herself: _"Things are indeed taking a remarkable turn ... aren't they, Aleister? Come to think of it, those weeks ago when you threatened to strike me dead on the spot … now that I recall the details, you even referred to me as a 'bitch' when you made that threat … maybe you should have acted on your threat, or at least tried. It might have proven interesting for you to discover what this 'bitch' might have as a possible counter-measure. Are you thinking that because you've demonstrated that you can defeat a Magic God with your Science, that you have attained omnipotence? Or are you supposing that the presence of the Imagine Breaker in your City of Science gives you some sort of advantage. For now, I am content to bide my time, but if or when I see fit to take action of my own, you may yet discover that the bearer of Imagine Breaker is not the only one capable of breaking illusions … even yours."_

 

In the gardens outside St. George's Cathedral, a young woman of Japanese ethnicity, wearing a flower-patterned yukata was seated under a tree, seiza-style, as if engaged in meditation. However, if truth be told, the ability to enter any sort of meditative state was out of the grasp of Kanzaki Kaori at this moment, and with good enough reason. Like Stiyl Magnus, Kanzaki was one of the select few who has also learned of the truth behind Aleister Crowley, and it disturbs her to no end that the Index Librorum Prohibitorum remains in Academy City. Both she and Stiyl retain bittersweet memories of taking care of Index and even to this day they regard her as a person, unlike their superior in Necessarius, who clearly regards Index and many others more as merely a tool, and if need be, a disposable one at that. She knew that Stiyl would approach the Archbishop to suggest Index's extraction, for both personal as well as professional reasons, but Kanzaki's own instincts suggested that his recommendation would likely fall on deaf ears, for reasons only said Archbishop would know.

"Priestess-sama?"

Kanzaki started out of her self-musing at the sound of a voice, addressing her by her title as the head of the Amakusa Remix Christian sect. Lifting her eyes, Kanzaki saw before her another Amakusa member and in fact one of her subordinates … the girl known as Itsuwa.

"Itsuwa, … has something happened that you came out here?" asked Kanzaki.

"It's just that I happened to see Stiyl Magnus-san leaving the compound, but he looked most irritated." replied Itsuwa. "I don't claim to know the reason for his current mood, although I suspect one thing might be at the root of it … it might have something to do with Index-san."

With a sigh, Kanzaki in turn replied: "As you might guess, even I'm technically forbidden to reveal more at this time, but I can confirm your suspicion … it has to do with Index."

Itsuwa responded rather quickly: "You don't have to say anything more, Priestess-sama … to be honest, even I've heard some rather unpleasant rumors being circulated, but for now, as far as Index-san is concerned, I'll place my faith in the one who's been looking after Index up till now. I believe that, if it comes to it, you'll put your faith in him, also."

For the first time in a good many days, a measure of peace seemed to be stirred in in the heart of A Certain Saint. Looking up at Itsuwa, a faint smile formed on Kanzaki's face as she murmured in agreement: "You're right, Itsuwa … right now, where this whole matter is concerned, it would be good to place our faith in him, perhaps more than ever before."

 

Within an innermost chamber inside the Windowless Building located within Academy City – a place to where only a select few persons other than the Building's chief occupant have ever been granted access – the mysterious being known named Aiwass suddenly materialized. After seemingly taking note of its current surroundings, it observed Aleister Crowley in his, so-to-say, usual state; suspended upside down in his tube of red liquid; the only noticeable difference on this occasion is that there seem to be more wires and tubes connected to Crowley's body than other times, as well as that his clothing displays splotches of what is actually his own blood.

"By chance, are you here to to make some move against me, or is this visit out of your usual incessant curiosity?" asked Crowley in his usual monotone.

To that, Aiwass replied: "I'm merely seeking to alleviate my current mood of boredom … although I do note that things did get a little interesting some time ago."

After a moment's pause, Aiwass continued: "You may already be cognizant of this, but possibly, if you had sought out Heaven Canceller, your physical body might be restored to wholeness in a relatively shorter time."

In response, Crowley stated: "I had severed my ties with Heaven Canceller long ago, although partly in gratitude for what he did years ago, as well as for my own unspoken reasons, I cannot seem to bring myself to strike at him."

Aiwass went on: "Suppose you had attained the status of a Magic God; then perhaps you could treat your bodily injuries faster than this seemingly slow-paced method you are currently employing."

Crowley replied: "It was never my intention to become a Magic God, and that, while it may be that you're correct in your supposition, I will continue to deal with the problem regarding my physical body as I am doing now. The only momentary drawback to my chosen method of repairing this body is that, while the equipment may record anything they observe going on in Academy City, I cannot immediately act on anything observed while undergoing these treatments, and I have opted to undergo intermittent periods of treatment, as opposed to undertaking one complete session, which, while it could fully restore my body, will require many days of relative inactivity. Because of these intermittent treatments, I can remain aware of most of what is detected as going on within Academy City … although I will admit; things seem to be becoming a bit more unstable and unpredictable around the bearer of the Imagine Breaker. Notwithstanding, I will go about my plans, short-term and long-term, and deal with any potential obstacles which may show up, as I see fit."

Aiwass seemed to muse on Crowley's statement for a moment, before responding: "As you wish." before de-materializing and disappearing from the inner chamber.


	6. Road Trip and Home Visit

The morning after the video call with Ollerus brought with it a message notification after Touma, awakened and arisen out of the bathtub, switched on his phone. Behind said notification was a message from the former Magic God candidate; the gist of the message reading as follows:

_To: Kamijou Touma,_

_"Following our discussion yesterday, I happened to recall a society of mystics, for want of a better word, relatively close to your location in Japan. They call themselves Shén Fēng De Shèhuì, or The Society Of The Divine Wind; they're actually based in mainland China. Granted it's been some months, but I have had business in the past with the current head of that group. A phone call revealed to me that the Society, in their own response to the potential threat against all Magic Users, are currently making plans to come to Japan, and, if possible, to go to Academy City, to investigate things for themselves. In addition, the Matriarch of the Society, who's indicated that she is leading their expedition personally, has expressed interest in you, as the current bearer of the Imagine Breaker. Accordingly, and with their permission, I include contact information for you and your companions to get in touch with them."_

_"Good luck with that."_

_Ollerus_

The message was followed with phone numbers and e-mail addresses. After sending a quick reply of thanks to Ollerus, Touma proceeded to forward the message and its contents to Misaki, via the app loaded on his phone. After doing so, he went to (gently but firmly) awaken his house-guests.

"I presume you have some news to pass on that explains your waking us up earlier than normal, human." quipped the former Magic God, even as Index was shaking off the last vestiges of sleep.

"Simply put, Ollerus-san sent me a message." was Touma's reply. "Granted it's only a starting-point, but we might as well start making what we can of it. I've already forwarded it to Shokuhou-san, who'll no doubt pass it onto the others. While waiting on a reply from either of them, and seeing as we're up, I'll get started with breakfast."

 

It was decided to keep breakfast that morning at the Kamijou Household relatively light, in the event that the group would soon be moving around, to begin dealing with Ollerus's message and its contents. During breakfast, Kamijou's phone rang, notifying him of a video call. While Index was dutifully finishing off her portion of breakfast, Touma, together with Othinus, was first to take the call. On this occasion, the one initiating the call was Misaki.

After one of her trademark cute poses with "V"-sign (even Othinus couldn't help having a 'sweat-drop' at that), Misaki greeted Touma and Othinus: "Good Morning, Kamijou-san, Othinus-san."

"Good Morning, Shokuhou-san", was the joint reply of Touma and Othinus.

"I take it you and the others received my forwarded message." continued Touma.

"Indeed," was Misaki's response. "In fact, Kumokawa-san has already gone ahead to secure a meeting venue for us all; likely the same building in District 7, so I volunteered to reply to you directly. One of us will contact you subsequently to confirm the time for us to get together. Oh; Kumokawa-san had mentioned that you might see Tsuchimikado-san before she contacts him, so therefore, please impress upon him that his presence at this meeting is, shall we say, … expected."

Touma momentarily felt a not-too-pleasant feeling at those words, recalling a moment from yesterday, but replied: "Judging from what I assume are my sempai's exact words, I have little choice but to consider her instructions as absolute; consider him notified, Shokuhou-san. As for Index, Othi-chan and myself, we're effectively ready to move once we get notice to do so."

"Perfect, and as expected of you, Kamijou-san." was Misaki's response with a beaming smile. "The only likely drawback is that since our focus will be on the forwarded message and likely contacting this Society in China, we'll have to forego your exceptional cooking skills, in lieu of take-out." Misaki's smile had changed to a slight pout as she finished speaking.

Othinus, noticing the change in mood, stated with a smirk: "Perhaps once this whole affair is concluded, should we expect you, Shokuhou-san, or for that matter the three of you, to be seeking tutoring in the culinary arts from this human?"

"Mmmm," replied Misaki, her eyes twinkling for a moment, while putting one hand to her chin, as if in a contemplative mood, "Indeed, maybe something can be arranged, but as you suggest, Othinus-san, we should probably see this matter to its conclusion before making any moves along that direction."

"Well then, we'll wrap up things here and be ready to move out. I'll either call or personally notify Tsuchimikado." was Touma's response.

"I'll leave that task in your hands, then. Farewell for now, my prince." was Misaki's parting words (once more with cute pose and "V"-sign) as the video call was ended.

"Well, that was interesting; this girl calling you her 'Prince'?" quipped Othinus, glancing at Touma with one eyebrow raised as he set down the phone.

"There's probably quite a story behind that, Othi-chan." replied Touma, "but as suggested, we can look into that after this business gets done."

"You hear that, Sphynx? … someone sees Touma as royalty. More likely they might change their tune if they saw how things generally go with him." snarked Index to her pet cat, who seemingly meow-ed in response.

"Are you making fun of your landlord, too, cat?" came back Touma, one eyebrow raised.

"Don't knock yourself out over it, human." responded the former Magic God. "As someone once put it, people are generally considered great everywhere, except among those who supposedly know where they originally came from."

"I'll decide later whether that should give me comfort, or depress me further." was Touma's reply. "Anyhow, breakfast is effectively done … let's clean up and organize to move out."

 

Roughly two hours later (the same walking route was taken as the first time, although Touma did not take his eye off a certain tree as they passed underneath it), the Kamijou household (Sphynx included), Seria, Ayu, Misaki, and Tsuchimikado were assembled. Going over the message from Ollerus in slightly more detail, and noting the contact information provided, an e-mail was composed, then transcribed to Chinese {Mandarin} language, requesting a suitable time for a video call. The e-mail was loaded onto Touma's phone, who subsequently sent it.

"Now that that's been set in motion, and until we get a reply," stated Kumokawa Seria, "I think someone has a bit of … ahem … revealing to do, regarding certain things that have taken place over the last month or so; isn't that right, Tsuchimikado.", all the while maintaining a rather neutral facial expression and tone of voice, but taking up what serious fans of anime would label as 'The Gendo Pose', fixing her gaze squarely on a suddenly sweat-dropping Motoharu.

Ayu and Misaki instinctively leaned away a bit from Seria, as if to say: "Whoa."

Index, eyes wide, mumbled instinctively: "She's good."

Othinus replied, giving a thumbs-up: "Take note, nun; THIS is how you take charge, especially with males."

Even Touma could sense, if not see, that his and Tsuchimikado's upperclassman had engaged "serious business" mode, but was content that, on this occasion, it was directed at someone else, rather than him.

"A final advisory, if I may, sempai." Tsuchimikado began, partially to offset his nervousness at being, so-to-say, in the spotlight. "There'll probably be no turning back, once I'm done, as you and your associates will have in all likelihood taken a one-way plunge into matters which, strictly speaking, are generally concealed from those who belong exclusively to the Science Side, _nya_."

"That's quite fine with us ... please proceed." was Seria's response, never taking her eyes off the Backstabbing Blade for an instant.

"Index, I would suggest you also take note of all that is said, in case we need to refer to it later." commented Othinus.

"Done." was the nun-in-training's response.

Having taken a swig of whatever (non-alcoholic) beverage was in his glass, Touma's neighbor got underway: "Speaking generally for a moment, I wager that most of Academy City's student population may consider the chance to develop esper abilities as either a god-send … assuming they believe in a Supreme Being ... or the chance to perhaps fulfill some childhood fantasy of being a super-powered being … hero, villain, whatever. Very few of them ever asked the question of just why this City and its esper development program came into being, _nya_. Short and to-the-point, it all starts with the one who founded Academy City, establishing himself as its General Superintendent, and who led the development of the Power Curriculum Program. His name, or at least the name he goes by at present, is Aleister Crowley. To some if not many associated with the Magic Side, he once had a slightly different name: Edward Alexander Crowley."

"Excuse me, Tsuchimikado-san." interjected Ayu at that point. "when you say that those from the Magic Side know him by another name, are you indicating that the General Superintendent is actually someone from the Magic Side?"

"There's a lot more to it than that, Mitsuari-san." replied Tsuchimikado, "but I'll compliment you for being on track thus far. Put simply, Crowley is a magic user, and a very powerful and dangerous one at that. It might be more accurate to state that he was a magic user, as for the most part, he has abandoned the use of Magic to embrace Science and Technology, but on occasion, he can still wield Magic, and very powerful magic at that."

"Interesting." was the comment from Seria. "And, pray tell, how might this be connected to the leaking of the Parameter List?"

"It will be a round-about answer, but all will be revealed, sempai … Kami-Yan has some knowledge of this, and you may already have a clue yourself, but this is probably the best way to reveal it all; namely, I'm more than just a Level 0 Esper, _nya_." replied Tsuchimikado. "Yours truly is also a magic user, as well as, to put it bluntly, a spy on behalf of the Church of England, and, not coincidentally, a few other organizations from both the Science Side and the Magic Side, and once upon a time, that included Academy City and the General Superintendent himself." Cue jaw drops of various degrees from every human present except Touma, Seria and Othinus.

"Perhaps this is all building up to the issue I'd like to get to … namely why you leaked the Parameter List." came back Seria, "but I, and probably the rest of us, will admit being curious enough to ask; notwithstanding what we've learned regarding the incompatibility of Magic and Science, you say you're also a magic user. The nearest I've heard of anything like that is the supposition of "Dual-Skill" where an esper is developed who demonstrates more than one ability, but so far as I know, it's never been demonstrated in reality."

To which Tsuchimikado continued: "Mine is not so much "Dual-Skill", but rather, before enrolling into Academy City and going through the Program, I was already a magic user. My esper ability, **Auto-Regeneration** , which essentially means my body can repair itself from injuries, is only at Level 0, but unless someone out there is hiding something I don't know about, I'm to date the only magic user who has developed an esper ability via said Program, and lived through it. And even though I've had a few occasions to wield magic since then, I'm putting my life on the line any and every time I do so, because only my esper ability keeps my alive when I use magic, and because of that incompatibility thing, even that could fail on me at any time, _nya_. As to why the Parameter List was leaked, to make a long story short, it arose out of our General Superintendent reneging on an agreement he made with me, to protect someone precious to me, during the recent incident with the Elements; at that point, I considered our association severed. Suffice it to say, Crowley did not accept my severing our partnership cordially. The leak was a contingency plan which I chose to execute, as literally a life-saving measure – and by that, I refer to my own life – as I severed my ties with him; also, its intent was to distract him, both in the short-term and in the long-term, from, let's say, continuing his rejection of my disassociation." Perhaps at the moment, only Touma had a clue as to who the person "precious" to Tsuchimikado might be, but he held his peace.

"There are perhaps two ways to look at your actions, based on what you've disclosed, Tsuchimikado-san." stated Misaki at that point. "On the one hand, for the purpose of self-preservation, which could be considered a natural instinct in all humans, as well as out of a desire to protect something or someone important, there are grounds for justifying your actions. Of course, the other side of it cannot be denied or ignored, namely that you may have, even indirectly, crushed the ambitions of thousands of espers, particularly those who are at Level 0, by leaking the Parameter List; not to mention the chaos and anarchy that generally broke out in its wake. Even if we ourselves may choose to give you the benefit of the doubt, we cannot speak for Judgement or Anti-Skill, or even one or more unseen entities with this City's Dark Side, if they should ever discover that you're the perpetrator of the leak."

"I won't try to outright deny anything you've just stated, Shokuhou-san." was Tsuchimikado's response. "All I would say at this point is: with due respect to Judgement and Anti-Skill, if they haven't found me out up till now, while you all apparently came close enough, they probably won't, as even up to now I'm still working to lay cover upon cover on my tracks; it's a secret agent sort-of-thing. As for the City's Dark Side, and as sempai has an idea already, I'm as much a part of it, as I may one day become a target of it, and the same applies to my associations with the Magic Side; I deal with the situation as it presents itself, day by day. Of course, if it ever became necessary for my survival that I have to take permanent leave of this City and the Science Side, I'd do so in a heartbeat, after taking care of certain things, and also ensuring that my classmates, or my school's population as a whole, don't get caught up in the consequences of my actions. Self-preservation is indeed a poignant factor, but I believe I still retain enough humanity not to cause trouble to others who are truly not connected with my, ahem, extra-curricular activities."

"Out of mere curiosity, Tsuchimikado-san," interjected Ayu, with a strange tone in her voice and mannerisms, "and just to keep things clear; that precious person who you referred to is, by chance, not Kamijou-san, is it?"

Everyone present (save Othinus and perhaps Sphynx) did a double-take at her question, as if to say: "EHH?" There were a few more jaw drops and even a few spit-takes occurring, causing some to naturally reach for napkins.

"Pl … pl … please don't proceed any further in that direction, Mitsuari-san." came back Tsuchimikado, wiping up after his own spit-take. "Kami-Yan probably has a clue as to who that person is, and even he knows it's not him." His mood got a bit more serious as he continued: "Seriously though, I consider Kami-Yan to be one of my best friends, but if I had to choose between saving him or my precious person, even Kami-Yan knows what choice I'd make, and besides, Kami-Yan's proven himself to be a survivor of all that has been thrown at him to date, _nya_."

"Don't feel too bad, human, that you are first in Tsuchimikado's heart … there are plenty other fish in the sea." interjected a smirking Othinus to Touma, who's jaw dropped at her statement, as most others present (with Touma being the exception) grinned if not chuckled.

Even during his face-palm, Touma replied: "This Kamijou-san is not impressed by your attempt to lighten the mood with that sort of comment, Othi-chan. And Index is now glaring at me strangely, now that you've intimated that I've probably violated some rule of her Church … such misfortune."

"All right, then; now that the mood's being lightened up a bit, let's re-focus, everyone." Seria effectively brought things back to order. "Getting back to our General Superintendent being a magic user; you indicated, Tsuchimikado, that he seems to have for the most part put aside Magic for Science. Do you have any idea why?"

"Truth be told, some details are still unknown even to me, sempai." answered Tsuchimikado, "but from what I do know up to now, Crowley in his past had some issue with the Magic Side in general, for which he developed and still harbors a grudge. His abandonment of Magic for the most part, his taking up of Science, the establishment of Academy City, the development of espers ... they're all parts of some grand plan of his to one day completely eradicate the Magic Side and all that is associated or connected with it, _nya_. The only exception I can think of as to who might be spared from said eradication is Kami-Yan, but that's probably only because he's the current bearer of the Imagine Breaker, and Imagine Breaker is somehow vital to his ultimate plans. I'm merely speculating right now, but, if he could take Imagine Breaker away from Kami-Yan, he'd probably do so in an instant, or he would have already done so. And if I understand what Index-san and Othinus-san revealed to you the other day, the only way for Imagine Breaker to leave Kami-Yan permanently is if he dies; however, Kami-Yan dying or being killed won't automatically drop Imagine Breaker into Crowley's lap. Another option he might yet act on is to somehow confine or lock away Kami-Yan so that he couldn't one day defect to the Magic Side, or they couldn't kidnap him away. There may be others besides myself doing their own investigations into just what Crowley's plan is, but that constitutes … what I know … up … to … now …" Tsuchimikado's voice gradually faded away, as a dark aura seemed to be increasing its presence around Ayu, Seria and Misaki, as the implications of his previous words sunk in.

"Very Impressive, human; those ladies seem willing to injure, main or perhaps even kill if it's decided that's what it will take to protect you. I approve." declared Othinus with another smirk and a thumbs-up gesture.

"Scary." muttered Index, even as Sphynx hissed, some of his hairs standing on end.

"Oi, you've demonstrated similar behavior in times past, Index." whispered Touma.

 _"Potential yandere mode times three confirmed, Kami-Yan … Imagine Breaker notwithstanding, good luck with that, nya."_ was Motoharu's unspoken appraisal of the moment.

The dark mood was, perhaps thankfully, interrupted by a notification on Touma's phone. The notification tone seemed to snap Misaki, Seria and Ayu out of their "battle mode"; it was almost as if the dark aura was never there. Indeed, there was a reply to the e-mail sent earlier, confirming its receipt and suggesting a time for a video call. Noting that they had the better part of an hour before then, a decision was made to break for a light lunch (perhaps 'light' for everyone save Index).

 

During said lunch, Touma asked the question: "This may be the one chance I get to ask this of you, Tsuchimikado, so … I seem to recall a few times when you were absent from school, even though I was present, yet I'm the one who ended up stuck with make-up lessons. Any idea just how and why that happened?"

"Elementary, Kami-Yan." replied his neighbor. "Us secret-agents, spies, etc., have ways and means so that, when we need to be … how should I say it … elsewhere, we can be, without it showing up adversely on our school records. Imagine Breaker notwithstanding, you're just a high-school student who got dragged into one situation after another over roughly the last six months, _nya_. But on the bright side, it allowed you to pass the school year with help from our beautiful sempai and two other charming ladies. No doubt Aogami would call for your blood if he knew the truth about it all."

"How perhaps fortunate for us all that Aogami will never know the truth of this matter … will he, Tsuchimikado?" intoned Seria in a mild tone of voice, but its serious undercurrent could not be missed.

"This might be a moot point, but should we assume that it would be pointless to reveal to the masses what we now know about the City's General Superintendent?" was the question put forward by Othinus.

"Unfortunately, you're quite right, Othinus-san." was Tsuchimikado's response. "First, one would have to convince the City's population on-the-whole that Magic actually exists; granted there are a few, even outside this room, who are residents of Academy City, but have also learned that fact. Even if one could cross that first hurdle, to reveal the truth about Crowley would still be extremely dangerous, as he still wields power in the Science Side, more likely through this City's Dark Side, and that's in instances where he decides not to intervene in things directly."

"It's not that I'm looking forward to a war breaking out." interjected Misaki, "but will it be akin to World War III which took place in just under two weeks, or would it be on some far different scale?"

"Honestly, your guess is as good as anyone else's, Shokuhou-san." came back Tsuchimikado. "While not hoping for it either myself, IF it should happen, I'm just saying it would be better for the world-at-large if the major antagonists opt for some sort of "one-hit-strike" tactic, rather than any drawn-out dispatching of soldiers or weaponry."

"If so, then do you have any idea as to who the major antagonists might be, Tsuchimikado-san?" asked Index.

"Just my opinion, Index-san; it may ultimately come down to Crowley on the Science Side, and none other than the Archbishop of the Anglican Church on the Magic Side." was Tsuchimikado's response. "Granted there are other magical societies out there, but for the most part, centuries of mistrust and animosity have thus far prevented most of them from forming any lasting alliances. Of course, knowing that Crowley is inevitably targeting the entire Magic Side just might cause some alliances to be forged, but I suspect those will likely be temporary at best, with the separate groups looking for an opportunity to one-up each other any chance they get. On the Science Side, Academy City may still be working to restore its general popularity with the world-at-large following World War III, but by virtue of having relatively overwhelming technological resources, any other groups within the Science Side may have little choice than to accept Academy City and Crowley as their _de facto_ leader in the event of war. There is at least one other point I should raise, but I believe we're approaching the time for that video call to China, so perhaps that last point can keep until later, _nya_." Noticing the time as indicated, it was agreed that they should prepare to contact the Society Of The Divine Wind.

 

After dividing up and packing away the remainder of the food, and Ayu setting up a flat-screen television (naturally, Touma and Motoharu did any or all necessary heavy lifting), and after roughly a five-or-less minute crash course on basic rules of Chinese etiquette from Seria, the video call was ready to proceed. Real-time translation software was also set up on the tablet connected to the TV, as well it was noted that the Society's Matriarch, who would be on the call, had working knowledge of the Japanese language. In contrast, and being the relative "super-genius" of the group, Seria had working knowledge of Mandarin, if the need arose for it.

"Just a final advisory, if I may, _nya_." was put forth by Tsuchimikado. "While I believe Ollerus-san was sincere in his referring us to this Society, we should perhaps employ discretion in what we say, as in all honesty, they may have motives and intentions of their own besides taking action against the threat of Crowley, which they may be reluctant to disclose immediately."

"Point noted, Tsuchimikado." replied Seria.

Once the connection to China was engaged, the group viewed three persons presumably looking at them via a similar set-up; the Matriarch, Tsu Shin, and a young girl, wearing traditional Chinese clothing, from appearances 14 to 15 years old.

"Good afternoon, everyone." began the Matriarch. "These may be questionable times for such a meeting, but nonetheless, we are pleased to make your acquaintance. I am the current Matriarch of Shén Fēng De Shèhuì. With me on this call is Tsu Shin, a junior member of our Society who has extensive knowledge of modern-day technology to make this call possible from our side. On my opposite side is Choi Shi, my grand-niece and direct apprentice, who will be coming with me soon to Japan and Academy City."

In similar manner, introductions were done by the group out of Academy City; Seria acting as chief spokesperson.

After introductions were concluded, the Matriarch stated: "As you have probably been advised by Ollerus _xiānshēng_ (the word 'xiānshēng' being the Chinese equivalent of the -san honorific, generally applied to males), we are finalizing plans for the two of us to come to Japan and Academy City, primarily to investigate the nature of that which potentially threatens our Society. Ollerus xiānshēng has made mention of the one who bears the Imagine Breaker, Kamijou Touma _xiānshēng_ , who I have now met via this call, and your seeking knowledge about Imagine Breaker, which, in all honesty, prompted my decision to lead the expedition on behalf of our Society."

"Please permit me to interrupt a moment, Matriarch-san." interjected Tsuchimikado with a raised hand, "but I'm certain you are aware that, due to the current situation in Academy City, not to mention the current status of the relations between the Science and Magic Sides, it may be difficult for you to gain access to the City, unless you plan to employ … unconventional means."

The Matriarch replied with a nod: "Indeed, you are correct, and that is why Shén Fēng has secured the services of a rather experienced courier, to effect such entry into Academy City, if necessary; but for now, said courier will be assisting with our travel to Japan."

A question was at that moment put forward by Choi Shi, who, not being as conversant in Japanese language as her great-aunt, communicated via the real-time translation software set up by Ayu: "Do excuse me for raising this point, but, given that relations between Science and Magic are currently what they are, might not your actions of entering into dialogue with our Society be looked upon as some sort of seditious or even treasonous action against the City-State to which you currently belong?"

Seria replied: "We note your comment, and yes, what you have indicated is indeed a possibility. Notwithstanding that most of us gathered on this side are technically espers of Academy City, we either have first-hand experience, or have become aware that 'all that glitters is not gold' in this City of Science. There is indeed an element of Darkness within this City and the Science Side, which the majority of its esper inhabitants may be fortunate to never encounter directly all their lives, but this Darkness is very real, and some if not all of us have seen, felt, and even experienced it to varying degrees. In addition, we have become aware that, again for want of a better description, all of Academy City's espers, ourselves included, are little more than cogs in the mechanism that makes up the plans of the City's current leadership. Speaking frankly, no disclosure has been made to date of those plans to the esper population, nor any hint of possible consequences that may be incurred as a result of those plans being executed. Some might be content to go about their lives in blissful ignorance of those consequences, in exchange for gaining esper abilities; however, we are of the relatively small minority, who have chosen not to settle for living in ignorance. Simply put, our primary purpose is to help our companion and friend, Kamijou Touma, find out about the power known as Imagine Breaker. To date, the world of Science has nothing to offer in that regard, and all indications point to the world of Magic as right now being the only place to find the answers we seek. As for the current tensions between the Magic and Science Sides, while we are not in any official position to speak for the current leadership of Academy City, our group will not deny the right of your Society or any other group, Magic- or Science-based, to defend or protect itself against any threat, but we do hope that a non-violent resolution could be found without resorting to war."

Touma felt it appropriate to add in a little bit of his own: "If I may state this to you and your companions, Matriarch-san; according to Ollerus-san, in another time and place, I might have ended up somewhere within the Magic Side, as opposed to being sent to Academy City as a young boy. Notwithstanding that, I have been directly involved in a fair part of what happened in World War III, so I have experienced war first-hand. Frankly, I myself don't want another war to take place, nor am I eagerly looking for a fight, but, should war break out on whatever scale, I simply desire to protect myself and anything or anyone important to me, irrespective of Side, and for that matter, there are people on both Sides whom I consider friends, allies and comrades. In addition, as my senior indicated, it seems that there is currently nothing available in the world of Science that can or will aid or empower me to do that; namely, finding out more about Imagine Breaker."

After a moment or two, the Matriarch made her further response: "I have taken note of your comments. Accordingly, I feel confident in revealing that, at this time, our Society is making use of technology to catalog and store in a more secure fashion the totality of our knowledge. There may be something therein on Imagine Breaker, so the cataloging work will continue even during my visit to Japan and if need be, Academy City, but at the same time, I cannot guarantee at this moment whether said information is still intact, or will be of any use. Notwithstanding whether anything is found, and based upon our exchange thus far, and assuming you also consent to it, I would like to, at the least, meet with you and your comrades."

Glancing round to the others first, Seria responded in turn: "That is acceptable to us, Matriarch-san."

It was Ayu's moment to interject a point: "This is only a suggestion, but, given the current state of things as they are, if access into Academy City may prove difficult if not dangerous to you, Matriarch-san, have you or your courier given consideration to an alternate base of operations, as you go about your business?"

"Indeed, it is not absolutely necessary that we be physically in Academy City to conduct our investigations, so your suggestion is worth considering." responded the Matriarch.

At that moment, Touma put forth a possible option: "In that case, Matriarch-san, and from your indication that three of you are coming to Japan, if you're fine with the idea, might I offer the use of my family's home, as a base of operations? It's located within the Tokyo area and within relatively easy traveling distance to Academy City if the need arises. Also, the house is currently un-occupied, and my parents are currently overseas for approximately a month, so I had intended to visit it and check up on things during our school break, as they had asked me to do so." There was more than one glance at Touma as he spoke, but for the moment, no-one interjected or interrupted him as he made this offer.

After conversing with her fellow participants, the Matriarch responded: "As long as it is not a problem or inconvenience to you or your family, we are pleased to accept your offer, Kamijou Touma xiānshēng."

"Well then, in order that things might proceed smoothly, might we know your travel itinerary, Matriarch-san, so that we can make suitable preparations on our side?" was asked by Seria.

"We can forward the exact details subsequently via e-mail or message, but we expect to come to Japan within the next 24 hours. Our courier has been to Japan before, and is rather familiar with some of the immediate particulars." replied the Matriarch.

"Very well." came back Seria. "From our side, we shall gather particular details regarding traveling to Touma-kun's home outside of Academy City and forward them to you in like manner."

"That is acceptable to us. We look forward to meeting you all, and we thank you for your assistance." were the Matriarch's closing words as the call was terminated.

"Your offer of the use of your family's home, though generous from one point of view, might prove itself a risky move, Touma." stated Seria, "especially if there is the possibility of trouble involving the Society's investigations into this City and the Science Side."

"I looked upon it as meeting them part-way, sempai." was Touma's response. "Granted the Matriarch stated she was willing to at least meet with us, even if the focus of such a meeting might initially be myself, perhaps the less obstacles they have to deal with while in Japan, the easier things might go as a whole."

"Perhaps we can chalk it up to this human demonstrating, even at an elementary level, negotiation and diplomacy skills, that even I would not have considered him capable of." interjected A Certain Former Magic God.

"Then we'll leave it at that," was Seria's next statement. "I'll contact my employer to fast-track everyone's exit clearance so that we can leave the City tomorrow with the Matriarch and her party. If I need any particular information from you, I'll relay such a request via e-mail. Touma, we'll require the details of exactly where your family home is located so that the Matriarch and her courier can be notified."

"I have that info on hand even now, sempai." was Touma's response.

From an exchange of e-mails, the party from Shén Fēng, accompanied by their courier, were expected to arrive at Academy City's airport the next day. Once they arrived and were received, further details of travel would be worked out then. After roughly a further hour, all parties departed to prepare for their subsequent excursion to Kanagawa Prefecture and the Kamijou Family Residence.

 

The next day eventually found what might be called, for want of a better word, the Kamijou group, each with their own assortment of luggage for this somewhat impromptu trip away from Academy City, assembled at the exit of the arrival lounge at the City's airport. In part due to the cold weather, as well as it being the school break, school uniforms were passed over in favor of more conventional clothing, together with scarves, mufflers and gloves as each person deemed necessary to ward off the cold; the only exception being Othinus. Even Index had (momentarily) put aside her non-functional Walking Church for conventional clothes. Granted that it was the general policy of the City that its students generally wear their respective uniforms during the active school term or year, the chance to wear regular clothing was a welcome break from the norm. Tsuchimikado had arrived at the airport some time ahead of the group to get Karasuma Fran on a departing flight to England, after which he located and rejoined the others.

"I presume everything's squared away well enough with Karasuma, then." inquired Touma.

"As much as they can be, Kami-Yan." responded his neighbor, "although I can't guarantee that, first chance she gets, she'll make her way back to Academy City to seek out Kamisato. It's moments like that when I envy you harem protagonists."

"I'd probably envy them, too, if I happened to know any." Touma stated, without missing a beat. "Wait, … now that I think about it, what, by chance, is Maika-san doing while you're out of the City?"

"Already taken care of, Kami-Yan." replied Tsuchimikado; for a moment, a strange tone entering his voice and mannerisms. "Once nothing untoward happens, she'll be back in time for the new school year to begin."

"We're naturally counting on you and your memory ability, Index-san, to recognize the Matriarch and her grand-niece, once they exit the arrival lounge." commented Misaki.

"Leave it to me, Shokuhou-san." was Index's reply, with a thumbs-up.

"Now that I think of it, I recall the Matriarch stating that their courier had been to Japan and Academy City before, but I don't recall any name being given, even in their last e-mail." pondered Seria.

Within a few minutes, the identity of the courier was, so-to-say, revealed in quite an extravagant manner, as a voice called out rather loudly (accompanied by a rather enthusiastic hand-wave): "Kamijou-kun!" … a voice both Touma and Tsuchimikado recognized from certain past encounters both within and outside of Academy City. Bringing up the rear immediately behind the Matriarch of Shén Fēng and her grand-niece, wearing conventional clothing, which, although for the most part it was buttoned up against the cold weather, did virtually nothing to conceal her own rather impressive 'vital statistics', was the mercenary magic user known by the magic name of Route Disturb … **_Oriana Thomson._**

Reactions or responses to her appearance and actions, naturally, varied. Touma simply raised his hand in acknowledgement of Oriana calling him by his surname, all the while feeling many eyes (both male and female) gradually being trained upon him.

"Confirmed,… It's Good To Be The Kami-Yan." sneered Tsuchimikado, grinning from ear to ear.

One or more males who happened to notice what was going on, either thought to themselves, if not grumbled under their breadth: "Lucky Bastard." And that was merely the typical male point-of-view.

"Hmm, … might this be an acquaintance of yours, perhaps from one of your past excursions outside of Academy City, Touma-kun?" Seria's vocal tone, on the surface, appeared seemingly calm, but, contrary to the opinion of many persons regarding his seeming obliviousness to such things, Touma was absolutely aware that any careless response on his part to that question would be downright dangerous, even for him; plus it didn't help that Ayu and Misaki, together with Seria, were looking, if not outright glaring at him in a not-too-pleasant way.

"There you go again, human." smirked Othinus, definitely getting (sadistic?) enjoyment out of Kamijou being "on the spot".

"Touma is still being Touma." grunted Index, with a glare of her own.

"Ai-yah … it's so fascinating to observe the actions of youth; I cannot help but recall one or two memories of my own." intoned the Matriarch, seemingly restoring a bit of order.

With said order restored, at least in part, Touma stepped forward and with a formal bow, greeted the Matriarch, Choi Shi and Oriana: "This Kamijou Touma-san welcomes you, Matriarch-san and Choi Shi-san, to Japan and Academy City. It is good to meet you once again, Thomson-san."

"Oh My, such formality on your part is quite charming, Kamijou-kun." replied Oriana, her tone suddenly changing to one slightly more sultry, "Of course, you do have permission to call me: 'Oriana _onee-san_ '.", which prompted some more not-too-pleasant glares directed towards Touma, as well as a brief exchange between Othinus and Tsuchimikado:

"Is it just me, or is there something about this human, which influences people to put him in situations like this." asked Othinus in a low voice.

To which Tsuchimikado replied in similar manner: "It's one of the reasons why Kami-Yan is our class's precious person, Othinus-san. Even if Kumokawa-sempai and her colleagues didn't devise a plan to help him pass the year, there was no way we'd allow him to be left behind. Besides, seeing him having to deal with things like this is very entertaining, _nya_. Naturally, Kami-Yan will never know that there was a plan to get him to pass, other than sempai's, … right?"

"Right." responded Othinus.

 

As things eventually settled down, allowing the others to make their own face-to-face introductions, Oriana and Tsuchimikado eventually went of to secure their transportation to Kanagawa Prefecture. Taking into account a total of ten persons in the overall group (Othinus included), Shén Fēng had booked in advance a coach, with Oriana (and an international driving permit in hand – a useful asset for one in her line of business) as the driver. While waiting, the Matriarch stated briefly to Touma: "Perhaps this could be discussed later in further detail, Kamijou _xiānshēng_ , but on now meeting you 'in the flesh', I want to believe that there is something else about you … shall-I-say … in addition to Imagine Breaker."

Touma froze for a moment, as the one thing that immediately came to mind was the mysterious 'Invisible Thing' which itself was for the most part sealed by Imagine Breaker, then, recovering his composure, he replied: "Truth be told, Matriarch-san, there is something else there. As per your suggestion, if certain questions about Imagine Breaker can be answered, perhaps that one can be addressed also."

Once everyone's luggage was loaded and secured, the Kamijou and Shén Fēng groups boarded the coach, for the approximate 2-hour run from Academy City to Kanagawa Prefecture. It was agreed that Touma and Tsuchimikado would alternate 'riding shotgun' with Oriana, while the others would brief the Matriarch and Choi Shi (backed up by Index's perfect memory and a recording of their prior briefing by Tsuchimikado) on what was known thus far concerning Aleister Crowley's plans against the Magic Side; if at any moment it was required, the two young men would switch positions.

For the initial leg of the journey, Tsuchimikado had joined the other passengers, to re-iterate what he had previously disclosed, leaving Touma to accompany Oriana. As she maneuvered the coach onto the main carriageway leaving Academy City, Oriana remarked: "My work takes me all over, so even with the Internet, news tends to reach me with a bit of delay, but I have eventually gotten up to speed with most of what you've been up to since the British Royal Coup, Kamijou-kun."

To which, Touma replied: "I retain for the most part mixed feelings regarding that affair; one which started with Tsuchimikado using some sort of gas to knock Index and myself out before somehow bundling us on a plane flight to England. By the way, might I ask, Thomson-san … unless its confidential, are you still associated with Necessarius?"

"No confidentiality issues there, Kamijou-kun." was Oriana's response. "My association with Necessarius at the time was by no means permanent, but a freelance arrangement. Simply put, the life of a free agent works for me. Traveling to exotic, sometimes out-of-the-way localities, putting my skills to use to help people, and being, shall-I-say, remunerated rather well for it. Another time and place perhaps, that could describe you."

"Looking back seriously, you just might have a point there, Thomson-san." Touma replied. "Even I must admit the average Japanese high-school student probably doesn't do the extent of traveling as I have in these last six months; only in my case, I've received no remuneration – financial or otherwise. More often than not, such excursions on my part conclude with my ending up in a hospital bed back in Academy City … in fact, I seem to have my own private room for that … plus all of that almost got me stuck repeating the school year."

"Hmmm." was Oriana's comeback, with an almost mischievous gleam in her eye, "As regards remuneration or compensation for your cumulative actions, call it your _onee-san_ 's intuition, but I'd volunteer that those three rather attractive ladies in your company might represent potential future remuneration of a particular type." It was fortunate that Touma was not drinking anything at that moment, as a spit-take would have likely occurred at Oriana's statement.

Eventually recovering his composure, Touma replied: "It's probably pointless to deny or reject what you just said, and I've been going over that in my own head … while I don't shout it to the whole world, I'll agree that the possibility you're inferring is there, but for now, certain things have to be dealt with, before I make any deliberate move in that direction."

"Mmmm, well … since for the most part I've only met your companions aside from Tsuchimikado-san as of today, it may be presumptuous of me to make any definite guesses right now." was Oriana's further response, "but I'm confident that I can give this bit of advice: it's a little-known secret that girls, or maybe I should say, young women, find men, young or old, who carry themselves with an attitude of responsibility, very attractive."

 

There was silence for a moment before Touma spoke again, changing the subject: "Seeing that you are, as we were told, engaged by the Matriarch on behalf of her Society, should I presume that you also have some awareness of the potential threat against the Magic Side on the whole, Thomson-san?"

Oriana was silent for a moment before responding, taking on a more serious tone of voice than before: "I do, and, as you might expect, it's not pleasant to discover something like that. While I would be the first to agree that some elements of the Magic Side have been responsible for unpleasant incidents in times past, the notion that I and other like myself are being targeted as is being suggested, and for some unknown reason or reasons, is incomprehensible, if not abominable. As to the person or persons orchestrating this threat; do they merely intend to somehow permanently destroy our ability to wield Magic, or to annihilate us outright? Even if it is the first option, that would leave us magic-users powerless in a world where someone else dictates who should have powers or abilities, and who should not. I'm not immediately sure which is the more worse of a fate."

Oriana paused a moment before continuing: "Of course, I don't imply for a moment that all espers wish to see such a fate imposed upon magic-users, but as you can expect, some will react more strongly than others to such a thing. I don't mind telling you this; some might even be orchestrating a sort of mutually-assured destruction plan, in which, if it appears that they are targeted for being destroyed outright, they in turn would seek to take out as much of the supposed enemy as possible with them. And then, what about those literal millions of persons in the world who are neither espers nor magic-users, Kamijou-kun? This is merely my own speculation, but it's unlikely that they will simply sit on the fence, or be allowed to take up a position of absolute neutrality, if indeed war breaks out between Science and Magic. Some are likely to get dragged into any conflict, most likely against their will, or without their knowledge. I certainly claim no knowledge of the scope of esper abilities such as might come out of Academy City, but I have heard of magic spells and rituals which, even if I personally would never stoop to using such, are supposed to require a literal living sacrifice to work, whether it be one human life, a dozen, a hundred, or even more. If such spells and rituals truly exists, can you imagine the catastrophic effects of such rituals being executed on a region-wide, or even a global scale? And who's to say that something equally abhorrent is not there within the Science Side?"

"I truly don't have an answer for that right now, Thomson-san." was Touma's response, "except to mention that, as far as everything I've learned about the program of Academy City to develop espers suggests, each esper effectively defines and imposes what is called his or her Personal Reality upon themselves and their personal world, when they exercise any ability. Kumokawa-sempai and the others have been studying a document that became available to the general population of Academy City, which seems to be steadily revealing more and more unpleasant truths about the whole thing, and I tend to agree with you on that; who's to say that some esper ability is not brought into being, which requires something similar to work? It does at the least disturb me that any power or ability, whether Science or Magic, could be used in such a way, and even employed willingly."

Some more might have been said, except at that moment, after a knock on the door, said door was opened and Tsuchimikado popped his head in: "Oooh, … for a moment I hoped I'd be interrupting something spicy, _nya_?", at which Touma strove not to engage in a grimace at his neighbor's insinuation.

"Such might only occur in your rather active imagination, Tsuchimikado-san." Oriana replied without missing a beat, "I wouldn't deny that he's a young man, but I'm equally sure that Kamijou-kun has more self-discipline than most so as to refrain from that sort of thing, if and when it's inappropriate. Getting back to essentials, I presume this is a moment where you two trade places?"

"Quite so, quite so … and by the way, everything discussed is being recorded, so the Matriarch will get a copy to pass onto you for your own information. Right then, Kami-Yan … Tag." exclaimed the Backstabbing Blade, lightly tapping Touma on his shoulder, at which, Touma un-fastened his seat-belt, and rose from the passenger seat.

"Chances are if I return, you'll clue me in on whatever he may be scheming for me later on, Thomson-san." was Touma's words as he made his way out of the coach's front compartment.

"I'll be certain to let you know in advance, Kamijou-kun." Oriana replied as Touma departed to join those gathered in the interior of the coach.

 

Thus far, and with the aid of Index's memory recall as well as the recording of Tsuchimikado's earlier briefing, the Matriarch and Choi Shi were reasonably brought up to speed regarding what was known to the so-called Kamijou group regarding the potential threat towards the Magic Side. There was one item, which had been disclosed to the others a few moments ago by Tsuchimikado – specifically, what he had previously held back prior to the video call, and it was decided to bring Touma into the loop.

"Archetype Controller?" asked Touma.

"Yes." replied Seria. "Tsuchimikado revealed it to us a few minutes ago, as possibly one of the more sinister components of what may constitute the General Superintendent's arsenal. In very simple terms, he has brought about the creation of a technological device that can affect and control people. This seems to be a level far above mere mind control, such as what mind-readers such as Shokuhou-san and Mitsuari-san are capable of." In response to Touma glancing at them, Ayu and Misaki nodded to back up Seria's previous statement; after which, Seria continued: "More precisely, it can completely overwrite a person's established beliefs and conventions, whether they be political, social, or philosophical. We're only speculating just how far this device could actually operate, but, supposedly if it had sufficient power to do so, and a wide-enough range in which to operate, he could, arguably, re-shape all of mankind to conform to one mode of thinking, or fragment the world into various factions, each governed by particular beliefs, as if that were not partially true already; only here, he could amplify the differences in beliefs so that there would be no chance of co-existence between factions … only animosity, or outright violence."

"If I may, Kumokawa-san." interjected the Matriarch. "I have no hesitation in mentioning that such endeavors to effect control over the masses are also possibilities within the Magic Side. From our own standpoint, Shén Fēng considers such practices as abominable techniques that we ourselves would never employ, at least so long as I live and retain the leadership of our Society. That is not at all to say that others in times past, and in other magical societies have ever tried to implement such techniques, on whatever scale."

"I suppose the next immediate question, if it hasn't been raised yet, is: is there any way to counteract or resist the effects of this Archetype Controller." was the point voiced by Touma.

"It's still too soon to arrive at any concrete conclusion on that, Touma-kun." responded Misaki, "seeing that we've only learned of its existence minutes ago. From a technological ability standpoint, I honestly don't believe that among ourselves, we have anyone who can answer that. Also, and as Mitsuari-san can attest from her own research into the inner workings of the Power Curriculum Program, the possibility, however remote, exists that some form of subconscious conditioning ability might have even been instilled into Academy City's esper population, thereby rendering some of them, if not most, more susceptible than others to being 'taken over' by this device."

"Might I suggest that we keep that item … how do you say it … on the back-burner, for the moment," suggested Othinus, "while exploring any ways or means to counteract this device. As for what I know of the workings of the mind from the magical or philosophical perspective, it's possible that there may be something which is not directly related to Magic, in that it does not require a person to directly process or manipulate mana, so that even an Academy City esper should be able to use it … but likely Index and I would have to investigate further before we can state anything with certainty."

"Seeing that for the moment, there's not much we can do about that item, was there anything else that you wanted to bring to my attention?" was Touma's next question.

"Actually, three things come to mind." replied Seria. "First of all: is this the first time you're returning to your family's home since July of this year?"

To which Touma replied: "Actually, sempai, it's the first time I'm visiting this house, as something happened to our original home back around the end of August, but my parents told me this house is where they moved to after that. When they contacted me about checking on the house during winter break, I requested a few photographs of its general layout, as well as pointing out where the utility connections are. Provided my misfortune doesn't set some small catastrophe in motion, we should be able to use the house pretty much as it is."

"O.K., then; second point." was Seria's next question. "Regardless of what may happen over the next few days regarding the issue of Imagine Breaker, have you given any consideration to what your future in Academy City might be, both short-term and long-term, based on both what we've learned from Tsuchimikado, as well as arising out of the consequences of our present actions? Come to think of it, all of us may be faced with that consideration in one form or another."

After a few seconds of pause, Touma responded: "Perhaps we've been on-the-go with seeking to find a solution to the issue of Imagine Breaker and other matters before the regular school year resumes, so, as you indicated, sempai, I myself have not taken time to consider those consequences, and what they might lead to. Personally, this Kamijou-san still believes we're doing the right thing by forging ahead, because, as I said before, I don't think it wise to simply rely on whatever little good luck comes my way anymore, especially if, as Tsuchimikado and Ollerus-san indicated, things may get worse than they seem to be right now. It might be considered selfish of me, but a few persons have hinted to me that, once in a while, I should be a bit more selfish towards myself."

"Pfftt … a bit, you say?" smirked A Certain Former Magic God. "After all you've done for individuals, Academy City and the whole world, you perhaps more than anyone else deserve to take time to be very selfish with yourself, human … that is, unless you're content to, as you put it, keep making sure everyone else is smiling, even if you yourself don't, or continue to drift along day-by-day as a mere tool supporting the plans of others, and by others, I don't refer solely to your City's General Superintendent. And I'm also certain the others agree with me on that." Around the inner compartment, Seria and Ayu smiled and nodded in agreement (Misaki augmented her smile and nod with a "V"-sign), while Index gave a thumbs-up.

The Matriarch looked upon all this with a most bemused expression, before giving a comment of her own: "Ai-yah; if I didn't know better, I'd suspect this might be the beginning of something that could one day resonate across the world. It would be fascinating if I remain in this world long enough to see that moment."

In the face of such a potentially overwhelming show of confidence, Touma shrugged his shoulders before replying with a smile (a smile that might have also set a few hearts to fluttering): "Point taken, Othi-chan, and everyone else … simply put, we've reached this far, so let's finish what has been started. Whatever consequences show up, we deal with them then. So then, what's the third point?"

The next words past Kumokawa Seria's lips were certainly unexpected: "How are you at preparing Chinese cuisine, Touma-kun?"

Silence reigned for a few seconds, before Touma responded: "Eh?"

"Simple and to-the-point, my kouhai," came back Seria, "I'm taking a cue from what you indicated during our video call. We should seek to make things as comfortable as possible for our guests from China, so that should also include meals, as far as practically possible."

After a further pause, Touma replied albeit a bit sheepishly: "Truth be told, it will be a first for me, but I guess every endeavor must have its first time, no? If everyone is willing to trust this Kamijou-san's skills in the kitchen, then I have little choice but to do my best. The next point to be addressed in respect of that is, I'm guessing, recipes, foodstuffs, and such … unless you've already worked something out in that regard?"

"You're getting there with anticipating our moves, Touma-san." smirked Ayu, as she turned her tablet around for Touma (and by extension, the others) to see. "Thanks to the power of the web, we've not only found simple recipes … at least according to the instructions … but also located shops and stores either in your neighborhood or along the route where necessary ingredients and condiments can be purchased. Having effectively gained your agreement to take part, I'll relay this to our driver, so that we can make appropriate stops on the way to your family's home. We also agreed to pool our finances together to purchase it all, seeing as you're effectively providing us with accommodation."

"Somehow I suspect this decision was made even before calling me in on it, but I'll go along with it." Touma resigned himself to this development. "Thomson-san could probably estimate how much longer we'll be on the road, but I suppose I'd better start getting familiar with these recipes. Will you print anything, or send the necessary info to my phone, Mitsuari-san?" The words were scarcely out of his mouth when a notification sound came from his phone.

"Done." came back Ayu, with a cat-like grin.

"Right, then." declared Touma. "the study of Chinese cuisine shall commence. You all can have back Tsuchimikado for a spell; if I'm needed at any point, you know what to do."

 

In this way, the journey proceeded for approximately another hour, until at last, after having entered Kanagawa Prefecture, and making certain stops along the way, Oriana brought the coach to a standstill in a rather innocuous-looking suburb, outside a modest, two-storey, three-bedroom house, which constituted the current home of the Kamijou Family. Looking up parking and traffic regulations confirmed that the coach could be parked directly in front of the house, which Oriana proceeded to do. Touma, accompanied by Tsuchimikado, then alighted from the coach and proceed to the front door, which was fitted with an electronic sensor. Having been given the particular access code on his phone, Touma then brought up the particular phone app displaying the code and held it in front of the sensor, thereby unlocking the door.

"It's a relatively elementary home security system set up there, Kami-Yan." commented Tsuchimikado, "but I shouldn't expect to find anything I tend to encounter in my line of work … unless it turns out that your parents are actually international-level secret agents, _nya_."

"That possibility definitely scares me, Tsuchimikado." came back Touma. "I opted not to reveal to the others what you and I know happened to our original home back around the end of August (an indirect reference to the Angel Fall incident), so I'm counting on you more than anyone else to ensure that history doesn't repeat itself."

"I'll do my best on that, Kami-Yan." was Tsuchimikado's own comeback, "although I don't mind taking note of an historic event of its own taking place right now … ", as another almost sadistic grin came to his face.

"Here it comes." muttered Touma under his breadth.

"… if I include Index-san and Othinus-san, here is Kami-Yan bringing no less than FIVE members of his harem to his family home at once." continued a grinning Tsuchimikado. "Other lesser male mortals are blessed if they could do so with one girl at a time, you lucky bastard. The only way this could elevate to legendary status is if your parents suddenly decide to come home right about now, _nya_. Oh, wait; I forgot to include Thomson-san … "

"That … will … do." sighed Touma. "Before you suddenly reveal you're somehow recording some if not all of this and sending it to Aogami or something equally devious, let's get inside and make sure everything's in working order."

Within the next five to ten minutes, the electricity and water was confirmed functioning, as well as the kitchen and bathrooms (in this case, the house was fitted with two bathrooms, so Touma was very determined to avoid repeating a certain incident which took place in Italy). That done, they proceeded to rejoin the others as the group began offloading their pieces of luggage as well as acquired groceries from the coach.

 

Once the coach was off-loaded, the room assignments were generally agreed: the Matriarch and Choi Shi would use the master bedroom, Seria, Misaki and Ayu would use one other bedroom, Index and Oriana (and Othinus) will use the third bedroom, while Touma and Tsuchimikado will bunk it out in the living room. In like manner, the upstairs bathroom was designated strictly for females and the lower level one for the males, except in the case of emergencies. That being settled, an excursion was made into the nearby business district to stock up on other foodstuffs and supplies that were not immediately available en route, such as futons to supplement the presence of only three beds in the house, and primarily for the males to use.

Upon their subsequent return, Motoharu suggested that, while they might currently be out of the range of most if not all means of electronic surveillance, it was not altogether inconceivable that, assuming he has noticed that Imagine Breaker is currently not in Academy City, Aleister Crowley might attempt to spy on them, if not attempt some sort of offensive move using magic. To that end, and drawing upon his knowledge of Feng Shui as a former Onmyouji Professor, Tsuchimikado, with assistance from Oriana and Index, arranged for the placement of "gohei streamers" around the property, to either ward off or at least alert him and the party to any potentially malignant magical energies being directed towards them. Simultaneously, and under the Matriarch's direction, Choi Shi set up in similar manner a collection of wind chimes, flags and other items common to Feng Shui, for the same purpose. It was recommended that Touma (politely) "stay out of the way" as his right hand and Imagine Breaker might disrupt the (magic-based) protective mechanisms being set up, so he proceeded to busy himself in the kitchen. Seria indicated that she had brought work along with her, arising out of her position as an advisor to a Board Director, so she, accompanied by Ayu and Misaki occupied their time with that item of business. Dinner that evening was light yet satisfying enough, including Touma's first attempt at Chinese cuisine; Choi Shi relayed via the Matriarch (a bit bluntly) that with practice he'll get better, but it was alright for a first attempt.

During dinner-time conversation, the Matriarch made an announcement: "I happened to receive word from our headquarters that some documents which, from their markings, seem to contain information related to what has been recorded in our Society's history about Imagine Breaker have been located. Attempts are presently being made to extract the documents' contents, but it will require some time, due to the age of the materials originally used, and as I said before, it is too soon to determine whether any useful information is still intact. Nonetheless, they will keep me posted as to their progress. In the interim, and with your permission, Kamijou xiānshēng, might I volunteer to perform a basic physical examination upon you?"

Everyone (at least those who were human) turned to Touma upon this pronouncement. After a few seconds, Touma replied: "I don't see that as being a problem, Matriarch-san; is there perhaps a specific reason for it?"

The Matriarch replied in turn: "Your companions have advised me that, at present, there may be nothing that modern science can do at present regarding your propensity for misfortune that seems to come with Imagine Breaker. I speak from memory right now when I state that nothing I have ever heard disclosed about it suggests or indicates that the bearer of Imagine Breaker, whether it be a human or a physical thing, should be subject to so-called "bad luck" as they indicated you experience from time to time. It is possible that there may be at work one or more unknown factors which, as you suspect, are outside the bounds of modern-day science. Of course, if you'd prefer to wait until the documents located are available for perusal, that is indeed your right."

After a few seconds, and glancing at the others assembled, Touma declared: "If this Kamijou-san goes with his gut feeling on the matter, it says: do it. I'm willing to place myself under your care and skills, Matriarch-san." With that, dinner proceeded generally to its conclusion.

 

Some time later, while clearing up and generally organizing things in the kitchen, Touma's phone gave off a notification message; the sender was Misaki, asking him if he had a moment to talk? Touma sent a reply, effectively saying: yes. A few minutes later, Misaki and Ayu entered the kitchen.

"Please don't mind me, you two; I'm just organizing things so that we can get underway quickly tomorrow, but I'm free to talk or listen as the case may be." stated Touma, as he continued his work. "So, what's on your mind?"

"Perhaps it's just a case of over-thinking things," replied Misaki, "but I, or rather we … and I probably should include Kumokawa-san also … can't help feel a bit nervous about what might happen or be revealed tomorrow, when the Matriarch examines you, Touma-kun."

"We suspect Kumokawa-san might have some concerns of her own on that, Touma-kun." interjected Ayu, "although maybe, as she put it to us one time, she's older and wiser, and therefore better able to carry on in spite of those concerns."

After a moment's pause, Touma exhaled before speaking again to both Ayu and Misaki: "That actually takes a bit of load off my own mind, so I should say thanks for that, to both of you … and even extend that to Kumokawa-sempai as well." Naturally, receiving even a relatively minimal compliment from the one for whom they had feelings caused light but noticeable blushes to both Misaki and Ayu.

Seemingly without noticing, Touma continued: "Now that I think back, Index has been telling me on quite a few occasions, and Othi-chan has joined in also, that I need not take on things all by myself. Maybe it's something instinctive, or it's all those years of having to deal with my misfortune, even before my memories got erased, that shaped my behavior of keeping it all to myself. For better or worse, it's a habit, and, even if it takes some effort, I accept that habits can be changed. Still, it does feel good to know that I've got people backing me up, probably even more than those gathered with me right now."

"Um, is it true that, as you indicated yesterday, in another time and place, you might have ended up within the Magic Side, as opposed to coming to Academy City years ago? continued Ayu.

Touma mulled on that question a bit before responding: "I'll have to go with the observation that Science is more visible in the world as we know it now, while Magic tends to remain rather concealed, so that, even though right now I don't recall all the specifics, it made sense that I ended up in Academy City years ago. I truly have no idea how I might have ended up in the Magic Side, had that been the way things transpired instead."

"Well," interjected Misaki, "it's probably enough to state for now that, in spite of what we've become aware of what you had to deal with due to Imagine Breaker, I have no hesitation in saying that some good has come out of your coming to Academy City and the Science Side." Misaki ended her statement, as if expecting Touma to pick up on her implication.

Within a few seconds, Touma replied: "By that, you no doubt referred to my past with both of you, Shokuhou-san, and probably that might include sempai also, right?" Both girls nodded.

"So, do you have any personal thoughts or wishes on what to expect regarding the Matriarch's examination, Touma?" inquired Misaki.

"Just for the moment, I hope I'm not getting my hopes up too high or too quickly." was Touma's reply. "Again, maybe spending the better part of the last six months getting by with only a bare handful of persons aware that my memories are gone, and just deciding to keep moving forward might have shaped my opinion on the matter, but I'll admit, a part of me does want to remember my past … people I've come to know, live and interact with … and just maybe somewhere in there is a clue to that which resides in my right hand. Maybe that part of me has been there ever since my memory loss, only it had been suppressed, since I trusted Heaven Canceller when he stated that there was nothing he could do about that. And at that time, I had only just learned of the existence of Magic, so I had no basis for supposing that it could possibly provide a solution." After a further pause, Touma declared: "Well, no use over-thinking that point right now; it will probably only result in lack of sleep … let us deal with tomorrow and whatever it brings, when it's before us. If a solution is found, I, and by extension, all of us with deal with it. If no solution comes along out of what happens tomorrow, I suppose I can press on with the hope that someday there will be one."

"There is wisdom in what you've said there, Touma-kun." Ayu responded, moving closer to Touma at that moment. "At least you're showing signs of recognizing that there are people on your side, from the three of us, to even Index-san and Othinus-san, and possibly others also. So for now, I trust you'll allow us to have hope, both for you and with you.", her words ending with a quick peck against his right cheek.

Not to be left out by any means, Misaki moved to his opposite side in similar manner: "Indeed, we espers are probably discouraged from embracing such concepts as hope, but to trust more in hard evidence. Notwithstanding, to take Mitsuari-san's comment further, rest assured that the three of us believe in you, my prince, and we'll probably keep on believing, even without hard evidence.", before touching her own lips briefly against Touma's left cheek.

Silence pervaded the kitchen space for a few seconds, before Touma replied, with a gentle smile: "Well then, here's to whatever tomorrow brings with us, and we'll all face it, together. Until then, good-night, Shokuhou-san, Misaki-san."

"Good-night, then." Misaki and Ayu replied, before taking their leave.

Once their footsteps faded away, suggesting they had entered their designated bedroom, and having made one final pass, Touma turned off the light in the kitchen, before proceeding to the living room space, to settle in for the night.


	7. Poke The Sleeping Beast

The next day at the Kamijou Family Residence, after all have awakened and had breakfast, everyone assembled in the living room. Most if not all furniture in the room has been temporarily moved to the sides, so that Touma, wearing a loose t-shirt and track pants, and the Matriarch faced each other; Touma for now seated in a chair in the room's center. Choi Shi was, at that moment, standing next to the Matriarch, holding a tablet.

"Are you ready, Kamijou _xiānshēng_?" inquired the Matriarch. In response, Touma nodded yes, then he closed his eyes, and proceeded to relax his body, taking slow and deep breaths.

Slowly and with precise movements, the Matriarch extended her hands and, after placing her fingertips on opposite sides of his face, began to move them to various other parts of his body, again with slow and deliberate movements. At any moment when her hands came to a stop, they remained in that held position for about five seconds, after which she spoke a word or two in Mandarin to Choi Shi, who proceeded to type upon the tablet's keyboard, before moving on. The examination generally proceeded from Touma's head to both of his arms, down across his torso and abdomen, and both his legs. This procedure took roughly a total of fifteen minutes, after which, the Matriarch instructed Touma to turn around and straddle the chair so that his back is facing her. After said re-positioning is done, the Matriarch resumed her actions from the back of Touma's head, then along his back, proceeding in similar manner as before. During the examination, everyone looking on seemed to feel or sense something "in the air", rather than detect anything via their physical senses; possibly, those of the Magic Side do so more than the others.

 

Once the examination was completed, Ayu assisted Choi Shi in connecting the tablet to the TV in the living room, thereby displaying the contents of the tablet for all to see. The Matriarch explained what took place primarily to the group from Academy City: "The purpose of the examination was to trace the flow of _qi_ or vital-energy across and through Kamijou _xiānshēng_ 's physical body." She continued further with her explanation: "This vital-energy is known by many names in other cultures: _ki_ in Japan, _prana_ in Hinduism, _Mana_ to the Polynesians, and so on. Like many paranormal concepts, it is, to date and for the most part, undetectable or un-quantifiable by science, therefore, most schools of physical science either dismiss it outright or regard it as an un-verifiable phenomenon. The various martial arts philosophies of both China and Japan, to say nothing of those from other nations, consider this vital energy, by whatever name it is called, as the basis for performing seemingly superhuman feats of strength, endurance and invulnerability."

Othinus in her usual explanatory manner, interjected at that moment: "There may even be similarities as well as differences between the concepts of what you call qi, and Mana as the power source behind most Western magic." Turning to the others assembled, the former Magic God continued: "For the sake of those unacquainted with Magic, mana is generally produced either by the magic-user processing his or her own life-force, or there is so-called 'natural' mana which can be drawn upon, such as so-called magical items, the ley-lines associated with what is called the Power Of The World, or even the grimoires within Index's mind. Accordingly, while Imagine Breaker should not be able to negate this energy itself, which is a naturally-occurring phenomena, it will likely negate or disrupt the effects of its working or manipulation."

The Matriarch made her own interjection at that point: "Indeed, while it is possible to produce effects in the physical world similar to Western magic by manipulating qi, in general, we refrain from doing so, except in extreme cases. Past experience has demonstrated that causing qi to move or operate in an abnormal manner, if not done with care, has brought with it various detrimental after-effects, for example, un-natural and adverse weather. Sometimes, these after-effects reveal themselves immediately; in other cases, after a duration of time."

Getting back to Touma and his examination, two images were displayed simultaneously on the TV screen, at which point, the Matriarch resumed her explanation: "In times before technology, still pictures were used to display diagnostics to patients; now with technology, examination results can be displayed on a visual image such as this; the overall principle however remains the same." She then continued: "The image on the left displays the flow of energy through a human body under what are considered harmonious conditions; said flow is continuous and rhythmic. The one on the right, representing Kamijou _xiānshēng_ 's present condition, as I traced out minutes ago, shows two potentially significant things; the energy is flowing randomly and in a seemingly haphazard manner, as compared to the image on the left; plus, there seems to be a rather abnormal concentration of energy in the vicinity of his right hand."

The next interjection was made by Seria: "Excuse me, Matriarch-san, but does Touma, or for that matter, anyone, feel this flow of this energy to and through them, at any time?"

"Generally, unless a person is acquainted with the working of qi, as we call it, they may go through their entire physical life-span, completely unaware of its existence, much less its continual presence, Kumokawa-san." was the Matriarch's response. "It is perhaps an unavoidable consequence of the subject being all but ignored by most schools of modern-day science."

Touma, with his own hand raised, made his own comment at that point: "I would volunteer, Matriarch-san, that I, and by extension, my comrades, might have, at this moment, received more insight into just what is or may be present in or around my right hand, than however many System Scans I've undergone, for my whole time in Academy City up to now." His statement was generally accompanied by nods from his fellow Espers.

 

"It might even tie in with some of what Mitsuari-san revealed initially at our first meeting, human." responded Othinus, "Either those who run the program to develop Esper abilities simply don't know what they're looking at, or even looking for, regarding Imagine Breaker, or they never really tried to analyze the power in your right hand at all."

"If I may." came in Oriana at that moment. "You indicated, Matriarch-san, that there appears to be a concentration of this energy … qi, as you call it, in or around Kamijou-kun's right hand. Does that concentration represent the Imagine Breaker, or is it something else, perhaps connected with it?"

"To be frank, Thomson-san, … and perhaps Othi-chan knows as much as I do right now, if not more." responded Touma, "there have been a few instances suggesting that there is something else in or around my right hand, besides the Imagine Breaker. I don't recall at the moment how I came to give it its name, but up till now, I refer to it as an Invisible Thing. Again, this may be the first serious attempt to understand or investigate all that is associated with my right hand, but, for now, it's probably accurate to assume that Imagine Breaker, aside from negating supernatural powers with which it comes into contact, also acts as a seal over this Invisible Thing."

Touma paused for a few seconds before continuing, "Here is where it may get a bit … disturbing, so please hear me out on it." Possibly with the exception of Othinus, the Matriarch and Choi Shi, all others present involuntarily tensed up, as if sensing something serious, if not unpleasant was about to be revealed. Touma went on: "Up to this point in time, I have no control or ability to turn the sealing effect of Imagine Breaker on or off, by any act of my willing or choosing. Nonetheless, the seal has on a few occasions been broken, temporarily, during which the Invisible Thing seemed to show itself in what we might call the real world. To date, that has happened on at least five occasions that I can recall."

"Somehow I get the feeling you have something rather serious to reveal to us, Kami-Yan, regarding, as you say, the breaking of the so-called seal of Imagine Breaker." intoned Tsuchimikado, his voice and mannerism becoming that of the professional spy that he is; even his verbal tic had been momentarily put aside. "Perhaps you should just let it out as to just how the seal gets broken."

Touma paused again for a few seconds, before replying: _"To put it simply, the breaking of the seal requires my right hand, if not my right arm, to be severed from my body."_

 

As might be expected, that revelation was met with a somewhat icy silence, broken only by a short gasp from Index. Ayu, Misaki and Seria said nothing at the moment, but their eyes revealed shock and horror to anyone who would happen to look into them. Even Tsuchimikado seemed to flinch slightly, as the implications of Touma's statement gradually began conjuring up corresponding images in the minds of those present; as before, the only exceptions at the moment perhaps being the Matriarch, Choi Shi and Othinus. Eventually, it was Index who broke that silence.

"Touma, you've probably heard it from me before, but, if one of those occasions was back when you rescued Himegami Aisa and me, you should have told me everything about your injuries." Index stated, getting up from her place to face her guardian, a pained expression forming on her face as she spoke. "Both Himegami and I were worried when you were brought in to the hospital, even if the doctor told us later that your arm seemed to re-attach itself."

Touma reached out to rest his left hand on Index's shoulder before replying: "It's true that you and I have spoken on this before, Index, and I even told Heaven Canceller on another occasion: I don't go around looking for an opportunity to get my hand or arm cut off. Still, even if I have no recollection of it ever happening before my memory loss, I don't regret it happening when it did. Without it, I have no way of knowing whether you and Himegami-san would have been saved from that alchemist called Aureolus Izzard, or even during my confrontation with Fiamma of the Right at the climax of World War III, where it helped to ultimately free you from his control." Pausing to raise his head to look at the others, Touma went on: "And then there was the Daihaseisai incident involving what I later learned was some sort of attempt to make Academy City's No. 3 Level Five Esper, Misaka Mikoto-san, ascend beyond Level 5. All indications are that it was stopped, either in part or in full, because of my arm getting severed, thereby releasing the Thing. Rest assured, I would be the first to applaud if a way could be found to release the seal without giving up my hand or my arm."

"Since you've just briefly mentioned three of the instances where the seal was broken, I say you shouldn't hold back from mentioning a certain one, human." was the comment which came from the former Magic God in the midst of those assembled.

All human eyes turned to Othinus, even as Touma's face darkened for a moment, before he inhaled deeply, then spoke: _"Simply said; the particular incident Othi-chan is referring to was when she herself severed my hand, back when we first encountered each other as enemies."_

 

Once more, silence reigned in the living room, as more than one pair of eyes were trained back upon Othinus at the realization that, when she was a full-fledged Magic God, she actually did such a thing. As before, Misaki and Ayu said not a word, but once again, their eyes reflected all that they felt at the moment, while Seria, seated beside Touma, displayed no movement except her left hand was trembling slightly. Noticing that, Touma instinctively reached out and grasped her left hand with his right; the trembling seemed to subside, but Seria in turn gripped Touma's hand with an intensity that, perhaps another time, would have caused either of them pain.

"I'm making no apologies for what happened on that occasion between this human and myself, because it was the only outcome of our being literally enemies at that moment." stated Othinus in her usual unflappable manner. She then continued: "Afterwards, and in the aftermath of our second encounter with each other at Sargasso, things changed between us, so, what transpired the first time, did not happen a second time. It was inevitable that one day, some if not more of our initial enmity would become known to others. That aside, if anyone feels they need to know more of that, I have no objection to disclosing more. However, I will only suggest that perhaps it can wait until our immediate business is addressed."

Glancing briefly at the others, including Touma, Seria exhaled, before replying: "Your reasoning, given the current circumstances, is valid for putting such a discussion off until a later time, Othinus-san. Without dragging out the issue right now, I've been aware to a degree, and probably so have Shokuhou-san and Mitsuari-san, regarding Touma's numerous visits to Heaven Canceller's hospital, even if we may not know all the circumstances that led to each visit." Ayu and Misaki, still said nothing, except they nodded silently at Seria's words, even as she slowly eased her grip on Touma's hand.

 

"Then perhaps, the next point to be explored, nya." chipped in Tsuchimikado, "is, as Kami-Yan indicated himself, whether there should be a way to break the seal over the Thing, without severing his hand or arm."

Othinus replied: "In answer, and based on our past encounters, I believe there is the possibility that: (a) whoever or whatever, so-to-say, originally created Imagine Breaker, did not intend for that which it sealed to be released easily, if at all, or (b) that Imagine Breaker itself is not a fixed entity, but is something capable of growth, evolution and adaptation. Perhaps there is a stage where it may react or respond to the conscious will of whoever is its bearer."

"With that in mind," said the Matriarch, "is there anything else you can tell us about the Thing which seems to be sealed by Imagine Breaker, Kamijou _xiānshēng_?"

After a few seconds' pause, Touma came back: "On at least two occasions, Matriarch-san, I recall the Thing seemingly appearing as a dragon's head during the incident with the alchemist, and as a collection of dragons during the Daihaseisai incident. Particularly in the latter case, although I cannot recall being consciously aware of how it all transpired at the time, it seemed that the dragons themselves somehow neutralized and dissipated whatever it was that were seemingly gathering itself around Misaka-san."

Misaki came in at that point: "While I was in the vicinity of Touma's encounter during the Daihaseisai, though not immediately present, according to the information I was able to procure, at that time, an attempt was being made to force Misaka-san to ascend to the as-yet theoretical Level Six ability. All indications are that said attempt was somehow thwarted by the combined efforts of Touma and the No. 7 Level Five Esper, Sogita Gunha."

"Is there any indication whether said attempt would have succeeded, Shokuhou-san, Mitsuari-san?" inquired Seria.

Now it was Ayu's turn to interject: "While there are still factors not yet clear to me regarding my own investigation into the Parameter List, all the information we have to date suggests that the Railgun would have likely destroyed herself before ever attaining Level Six, and would have taken a significant portion of Academy City with her, if the attempted shift had not been stopped in time."

"Does anyone believe there may be any significance of this … Invisible Thing showing itself in the real world as some form of a dragon?" was the next question posed by Oriana.

"It is possible you may be onto something, Thomson-san." replied the Matriarch, who then turned to Choi Shi, speaking in Mandarin. Choi Shi responded by typing on her tablet's keyboard, opening a web browser. During that action, the Matriarch spoke again: "Kamijou _xiānshēng_ , can you recall anything about what the dragon or dragons looked like when they appeared?" To help with that, Choi-Shi will bring up some pictures for you to look at." As indicated, a number of various images of dragons appeared on the TV screen.

After a few minutes, Touma gestured to one image – one depicting a Western-style dragon – which was then magnified. Turning to the others, he stated: "This one, while not an exact appearance, seems close to the dragon head which appeared when I rescued Index and Himegami-san."

After a few moments of more browsing, Touma pointed to another image – this one depicting an Oriental-style dragon: "This one again is not exact, but it comes rather close to the dragons which appeared during the Daihaseisai incident."

"Quite interesting, isn't it, that this Invisible Thing seems not to have one fixed appearance. Perhaps the proposition of the former Magic God just might have something to it." intoned the Matriarch. "Briefly, in the religions of the Orient, a dragon typically represents one of the forces of nature, which are themselves neither good nor evil. I understand it is in contradiction to most Western religions, where, nor often than not, a dragon represents a force of evil." Index and Othinus nodded as if to affirm her previous statement.

"And perhaps there is yet another possibility." continued the Matriarch, "one which is that this Thing might be either an alien being, i.e., not of this world, or perhaps even one not of our universe." More than a few raised eyebrows occurred at that proposition.

"Except perhaps for much of what we've collectively seen from either the Science or Magic Side, _nya_ , your suggestion might seem far-fetched, to say the least, Matriarch-san." came in Tsuchimikado.

"On the contrary, there are schools of religion which postulate the existence, even simultaneously, of more than one universe." responded Index.

"Indeed, even if it might not be a mainstream topic in our educational curriculum, there are some branches of science which likewise touch upon that subject." replied Seria.

"Maybe there is something else besides Othi-chan's suggestion that this Thing is not a fixed entity." came in Touma. "Specifically, looking back on my encounter with Izzard, I don't recall any conscious thought of my own when it first appeared. In comparison, during my confrontation with Fiamma, the Thing was emerging after he severed my arm, but before it fully emerged, I recall somehow willing it to halt its emergence. Perhaps it was not a conscious action on my part which did so, but the Thing seemed to retreat back to wherever it was, even as Imagine Breaker returned to me and sealed it again, as well as re-formed my arm."

"What you just stated seems to confirm that there are particular circumstances in which you might be able to communicate, at least mentally, with this Invisible Thing." was the Matriarch's response. "I admit Western medicine or Western science may not be my specialty; nonetheless, two possible options come to my mind as to in what direction we might go next. Perhaps one or more of you from the Science Side can guide me as to whether something similar or equivalent exists in the realm of science. In some schools of religion, there are practitioners, be they priest, priestess or even the worshipper, who, by whatever means they do so, enter into a trance-like state, where they temporarily sever all connection with the so-called physical world, but during which, they claim to be able to communicate, or they may actually do so, with one or more supernatural beings, whether it be the deity they worship, or even the spirits of one or more deceased persons."

After a pause, Ayu responded: "Just to recall briefly, Matriarch-san, possibly the nearest thing of which I myself am aware from the side of science, are attempts to, as you stated it, communicate with the dead. However, it is hardly explored, at least by the scientists I know of in Academy City."

"I have to agree with Mitsuari-san on that." interjected Misaki. "Even those scientists who research my own ability, have on rare occasions made mention of it, but they don't seem to give it more than a passing thought."

"My first guess on that is," commented Seria, "if it has no immediate relevance or value to our General Superintendent's plans, such a thing would probably not be a priority item for those scientists to explore, or possibly they might be discouraged from giving that subject any priority, for the same reason."

"And there is another possibility connected to that, nya." chipped in Tsuchimikado. "In all likelihood, if research into that particular area could uncover something that could probably be used against him and his plans, whether directly or indirectly, it's likely that Crowley would either discourage any research in that direction, or even be on the lookout for it, so as to intervene before it goes too far."

"Which may then lead to the question: if putting this human into a different state of consciousness might lead to his becoming able to consciously communicate with the Invisible Thing," cut in Othinus at that point, "then how is he to attain that different state? There are magical spells that can to varying degrees change people's minds in one way or another, but I suspect they won't work on him because of Imagine Breaker."

"The same applies to my Mental Out ability." replied Misaki. "And even if it were otherwise, I made a decision, after what happened in the past, never again to use my ability on Touma's mind. Of course, I will go back on that decision, if I truly thought there was no other option, but I hope with all my heart that I don't ever find myself having to do so."

"Similarly, if Shokuhou-san's power won't work on Touma-san, then mine will very likely be ineffective." responded Ayu. "However, that may only eliminate direct means of altering his consciousness. There may be other means, such as hypnosis, which, from a purely psychological standpoint, is nothing more than implanting a particular suggestion into a person's mind."

"Possibly." came back the Matriarch, "and with that in mind, there may be something in our Society's more esoteric arts that might be able to bring about the required change in Kamijou _xiānshēng_ 's consciousness." All human eyes turned in the Matriarch's direction, as she went on: "Briefly, it involves re-directing the flow of his qi via external stimulation, in accordance with the diagrams shown to you earlier. In our more mystical practices, this has been used for hundreds of years where persons would, under its influence, communicate with supernatural beings or spirits as I mentioned before, or experience what I believe science would label as an "out-of-body" experience. Many times, the subject, when they return to normal conscious activity, give varying recollections of all they experienced, while in the altered state. Also, since qi is practically a natural force, it should not be affected by Imagine Breaker."

"It sounds like right now, it's the only option open to us." commented Touma, "Of course, if I don't raise the question, there are enough people gathered here who will do so … are there any risks involved in performing this process, Matriarch-san?"

After a pause, the Matriarch replied: "I would be deceiving you and your companions, Kamijou _xiānshēng_ , if I said there was no risk whatsoever. Stated simply, any interruption by an external influence could break the concentration of the one seeking to direct the flow of qi, thereby causing it to move in an undesired way, which by itself can potentially produce dangerous results to the mind and body of the subject of the procedure. Likewise, the subject must take care to remain in a calm and relaxed mental state … you demonstrated the ability to do so during your initial examination, but here, you will have to maintain it for a somewhat longer time period, while the re-direction is being done."

With all eyes upon him once more, Touma took a deep breadth, then after exhaling, spoke up: "In all likelihood, the longer we delay, the more likely the chance of intervention by anyone who might be opposed to what we've set out to get done. I say: as long as we can go forward, we should go for it. And as I more or less stated before, I trust in your expertise, Matriarch-san." Glancing at the others gathered around, everyone generally nodded their agreement.

 

After a few minutes of disclosing details of any necessary preparations for this procedure, a mat was spread out on the open floor, on which is centrally located a hexagram, with various calligraphic symbols also printed around it. In each of the four corners of the room, a small sculptured figurine was placed, each one representing one of the so-called Four Symbols known to Chinese mythology (azure dragon, vermilion bird, white tiger and black turtle). Both the Matriarch and Choi Shi momentarily departed to their room to return some moments later, wearing what amounted to ceremonial garb.

"Well, mostly because of my esper status, I can contribute little to this, _nya_. So I'll take up watch outside, just in case any sort of suspicious activity is either detected or becomes visible." stated Tsuchimikado. "I happen to bring along some gear, just in case of such a thing." With that, he reached for a large case, which was part of his traveling gear, before departing the living room.

"There are also some things to prepare for later, so while the Matriarch does her work, I'll put myself to use in that regard." stated Oriana. "Might I please ask Shokuhou-san, Kumokawa-san and Mitsuari-san to accompany me; you all might be of help where this is concerned?" Glancing at each other for a moment, the three ladies nodded, then proceeded to rise from their respective seats, and, after sparing a momentary glance at Touma, to which he nodded, they followed Oriana out of the living room.

"If it is permitted, Matriarch-san, might I please stay here with Touma?" asked Index.

"That should not be a problem, Index-san." was the Matriarch's response. Without saying a word, Othinus made herself comfortable seated upon Index's lap, alongside a snoozing Sphynx.

Just before the procedure commenced, Touma, on the direction of the Matriarch, sat cross-legged in the center of the hexagram, and, in like manner as before, closed his eyes, and proceeded to engage in a series of slow, deep breaths to relax his body. The Matriarch then advised Index and Othinus to keep silent during the procedure, no matter what they may see, hear, smell, taste or touch. Both agree.

Choi Shi took up a upright standing position, her hands clenched into fists and resting on her hips, just outside the boundary of the hexagram, facing Touma. On the Matriarch's instruction in Mandarin, she closed her eyes, before beginning a sequence of slow, yet controlled movements, moving her arms in intricate patterns before her, while traversing in a circular direction around the hexagram. On the whole, her postures and movements might be familiar to anyone acquainted with martial arts. As she progressed, and at certain points when instructed by the Matriarch, she suddenly and swiftly moved into a particular stance, thrusting one hand in a swift stabbing motion towards Touma; said hand in a clenched fist, with index and middle finger extended outwards. Both Index and Othinus observed Touma's body move slightly, as if it had been pushed, whenever this stabbing motion was done, even though Choi Shi made no physical contact with him. Also, notwithstanding the sudden action, Touma kept his eyes shut and maintained the breathing pattern established. All the while, first Othinus and then Index began feeling something "in the air", similar to the examination performed earlier, yet this time, steadily increasing in its presence. In this manner, Choi Shi circumnavigated the hexagram three times, only pausing at directed intervals to thrust her hand at various parts of Touma's upper and lower body. In similar manner as what happened the first time, no physical contact was made, yet his body responded with slight movements to the thrusts. At the end of the third circle around the hexagram, when she is once more facing Touma, Choi Shi suddenly thrust both her hands, both with fingers extended as described previously, towards Touma's chest. Touma's body rocked back in response, as if he was about to topple over from his cross-legged position, then he once again brought his upper body back to an upright position.

Suddenly, there was a distinct humming sound within the room, as the four figurines begin emanating a strange glow. Touma's eyes snapped open, but now his eyes displayed a golden color, instead of their usual blue; aside from that, he displayed no evidence of conscious activity.

Elsewhere in the house, Seria, Ayu and Misaki started, as if noticing that something has happened. Oriana spoke up at that point: "I felt whatever that was also, but it's all right; I'm certain that the Matriarch still has everything under control".

Even Tsuchimikado sensed something; perhaps reminiscing briefly on his past life as a full-fledged magic user, before resuming his work with the case picked up previously and its contents.

After her final movements, Choi Shi stepped back from the boundary of the hexagram into the upright standing position she took at the start, before opening her eyes. Turning to Index and Othinus, the Matriarch spoke: "Choi Shi and I have set the energies flowing to, through and across Kamijou _xiānshēng_ 's body moving in a different pattern to that which I traced out previously. The re-direction is not permanent, but if it is maintained long enough, it should permit him … at least, mentally … to communicate with that which is sealed by the Imagine Breaker. However, it is not possible to determine how long it may take for that to be accomplished. The four figurines constitute the establishment of a temporary "shrine" around him, which should prevent or at least limit any malevolent magical influence from without from reaching him – it will to an extent also provide a measure of protection to the occupants of the house."

"If I may say so." commented Index, "I see similarities between the procedure you just performed with what is known generally in Western Magic as Idol Theory."

"Might I ask, both on my behalf, and of the others, what happens next, Matriarch?" inquired Othinus.

The Matriarch replied: "I believe that, provided nothing disturbs or interrupts what has been set in motion, Kamijou _xiānshēng_ should be eventually able to contact and communicate with the Invisible Thing. Choi Shi and I will alternate being in close proximity to keep an eye on things."

"In that case," came back the former Magic God, "perhaps Index and I should join Tsuchmikado outside. Index's Spell Intercept might prove useful in the event that any magical disturbance is detected coming this way. Per chance might you two require food or drink while you maintain your vigil?"

"You may pass word to Thomson-san; she will know what to do, thank you." intoned the Matriarch.

"Right then, nun, let's go. And we might as well take this sleeping monster with us." were Othinus's words as she and Index left the living room.

"Shall I awaken the 'sleeping monster' so that you can call him that to his face?" smirked Index, as they departed.

"Perish the thought; let sleeping monsters lie," retorted Othinus.

 

"Did I somehow fall asleep during the Matriarch's procedure?" was the dominant thought at the forefront of Touma's mind.

Prior to that thought registering itself in his mind, he recalled nothing since the procedure began, except experiencing a feeling of weightlessness, in which, one-by-one, his physical senses seem to pass away. As if awakening from a deep sleep, and with the operation of those senses seemingly returning to him, Touma discovered that he was no longer in the living room; he felt himself to still be sitting cross-legged as per when the Matriarch's procedure began, but now, living room, house and the physical world as he knew it are all gone. As far as his vision can determine, he is surrounded by a vast expanse of darkness. He is surrounded by total silence; no sound seems to reach him via his ears. No discernible smell or scent reaches his nostrils. As he slowly begins to rise to his feet, Touma suddenly winces, as if realizing he had been poked (if not prodded, and with some force) in various parts of his body. For a moment, the only thing he recalls close to this is the Black World in which he found himself after Othinus (then his enemy) destroyed the world. Slowly extending his right hand in front of him, no sound characteristic of Imagine Breaker is heard. Stooping down to touch the surface on which he currently is with his right hand yields a similar result; at least for now the ground beneath him seems to be solid, yet even the sensation of touch feels un-natural, as if there was some sort of barrier between his hand, and any surface being touched. Muttering to himself: "Such Misfortune.", Touma realized a few seconds later; although he is certain he voiced the words, the sound of his voice is not picked up by his ears. Almost instinctively, he reached out to scratch his head with his right hand, while trying to figure out what to do next. Suddenly, even though there is no familiar sensation of touch, Imagine Breaker's familiar sound rang out clearly. Almost instantaneously, all his physical senses seemed to be in proper working order once more, and they immediately began taking in his new surroundings.

He appeared to be in some sort of subterranean cavern. The walls, roof and floor of the cavern seemed to pulsate randomly with flashes of various colored light; otherwise, there is no lighting to be found therein. As his eyes gradually became adjusted to his surroundings, Touma suddenly became aware of the presence of something close by; it was more of a feeling from within him, rather than via any physical sensation. Slowly turning himself around, he had a slight jaw drop, as he realized that, roughly six feet away from him (if not less), is something that can only be described as a humongous Dragon, similar to the Chinese variety in one of the pictures shown to him earlier. Its scaly body, alternating between blue and green in color (or so it seemed in the un-natural lighting within the cavern), bearing numerous legs akin to a centipede, and fins running along what is assumed to be its back for the most part, was slowly but steadily rising out of what appears to be a hole in the cavern floor, with unknown vapors rising out of said hole. The visible part of its body undulated and coiled about in mid-air, without any visible means of support, while its head and neck are extended to point directly at Touma's immobile form. Two huge glowing eyes flashed like lightning, while a half-dozen whiskers protruding from its head and face undulated in mid-air, as if they were being swayed to and fro by the wind. Touma's initial shock was gradually supplanted by the instinctive feeling that he was now face-to-face with the mysterious Invisible Thing, which had been sealed by Imagine Breaker; whether this was its true form, or merely one mode of appearance, he couldn't tell.

Moments later, a voice which seemed to resonate like a temple gong was heard in his mind, rather than via any physical sound, confirming his feeling:

_"So, my host and I finally meet each other … how is it said, … face-to-face."_


	8. Revelations

Recognizing that the Invisible Thing had "spoken" to him, not via sound, but apparently by telepathy, Touma replied verbally, although his voice sounded somewhat distorted: "Uh, … do you have a name, or do I refer to you as Dragon or something?"

The Invisible Thing seemed to ponder for a moment, before responding, then it replied in the same manner: "Your body is actually still in your world, so here you should be able to speak with your mind if you wish."

Touma paused to recollect a school lesson from the last six months, where he and his classmates were instructed by a guest lecturer in the rudiments of telepathy and thought transference. Recalling the basic instructions given during that class, Touma repeated his initial question mentally.

The Invisible Thing replied: "A bit loud, but I guess it's good for a beginner. As for a name, in all the eons I've existed, I don't recall whether I was ever addressed by a name or given one before now."

Touma 'sweat-dropped' at that, before stating "Then, if you're fine with it, for now, I'll refer to you as 'Dragon-san' ... Invisible Thing is a bit of a mouthful, plus since I can actually see you, it feels weird to call you that."

"I have no objection to that." was the Invisible Thing's reply.

 

"So," continued Touma, "exactly where are we right now?"

"The best description," responded the Invisible Thing, "might be, in a pocket universe; a space between dimensions which could be considered a universe in itself.

Touma came back: "So, am I looking at your true form, Dragon-san, or is this one of many forms that you can take on?"

The Invisible Thing seemed to ponder again, before replying: "I have taken many forms over the span of my existence; this being one of many. I don't know why I presently look like this; maybe you as my current host have something to do with it."

Touma countered that response with: "This Kamijou-san has never seen a real dragon before, much less an Invisible Thing … unless it's something deep within my own mind that made you take the form of a dragon."

Dragon-san in turn came back with: "Perhaps if you pause a moment and think about it ... you became my host, so you should know the reason."

Touma started for an instant before inquiring: "By chance are you implying I should have either a memory or knowledge about you, Dragon-san?"

To which the Invisible Thing replied: "Indeed."

Touma replied almost immediately: "The only problem with that is, about six months ago, I lost virtually all my memories."

"Hmm." was Dragon-san's response, before its head moved in close to Touma, even as its whiskers gently passed over Touma's form. There was no actual physical touch, but Touma felt alternating sensations of heat, cold, a feather's soft brushing, even needle-like pricks, as the whiskers moved around and about him.

After a while, and drawing back a bit, the Invisible Thing spoke again: "From my viewpoint, your mind and soul have taken a proverbial pounding; it even shows in your body. I find it remarkable if not strange that you still exhibit physical life after all that."

Touma sighed before replying: "You're not the first one to comment how strange it is that this Kamijou-san has gone through all that he has to date and is still alive. My first guess is that whatever Imagine Breaker is, it seems to be too attached to me to allow me to die from some of the crap I've had to deal with."

In response, the Invisible Thing stated: "Since as you indicated, your memories have been severely fragmented, your initial supposition is partially on track. However, I submit that which you call Imagine Breaker … I myself cannot recall whether any other name was ever attached to it, so I might as well stick to using it ... is only partially responsible for restoring your body if or when it is subject to injury. A more complete explanation is that, perhaps unconsciously, you actually accelerate the processes of repair which inevitably restores your body, at least to the state before injury."

Touma replied to that revelation: "This Kamijou-san wishes the same could apply to his memories."

To that statement, Dragon-san responded: "I also find it peculiar that while, as you say, you are able to effect the repair of your body, albeit partially, for whatever reason you cannot do the same with your mind and soul."

Starting at that last comment, Touma declared: "Wait … are you suggesting that I can?"

To which the Invisible Thing replied: "Indeed; what you call Imagine Breaker, while you are its bearer in this generation, and it is yours to wield, is not the only power that is part of you or available to you.

 

Back in the real world, the kitchen in the Kamijou Family Residence, to put it simply, was at the present moment an absolute mess. The inadvertent yet well-meant cause of the carnage was a trio of young ladies from Academy City, eagerly yet rather clumsily preparing the next round of dinner from raw ingredients prepared by Touma the night before, under guidance from Oriana Thomson. At first, and much to Oriana's amusement, Ayu, Misaki and Seria almost balked at the thought of trying to prepare food, yet Oriana's subsequent casual suggestion that the young man they liked would probably appreciate awakening to a meal prepared by their own hands, was enough to convince them to take the plunge. Besides, as she calmly reassured them, a messy kitchen can always be cleaned up afterwards.

"I consider myself being able to hold my own in the kitchen, if and when I need to, but I am impressed with Kamijou-kun's cooking skills." remarked Oriana, "Were I to volunteer a guess, it came about from his living in Academy City on his own."

To which, Seria replied: "You're probably right, Thomson-san. Without asking him directly about it, it might also have something to do with, how-do-I-put-it, the socio-economic structure that exists among Academy City's student population … probably going back to when the City was founded. Level 0's like Touma receive, to put it bluntly, the lowest stipend, so that they generally can't afford either the luxury of so-called high-quality foodstuffs, or rely solely on catering. Speaking for myself, I can do so because of what I earn as a Director's advisor, but even so, I've never thought of doing my own cooking on a regular basis; usually my younger sister, who's training as a maid, cooks for me, whenever I want something different from catering."

"Now that I ponder it, it's probably similar with myself, and even Mitsuari-san." was Misaki's own response. "We generally rely on what's available from School Garden. Even though there are cooking classes in both the Middle and High Schools at Tokiwadai, there are, just from my perspective, very few girls who exercise or develop their cooking ability to the extent that Touma has."

"Rest assured, that will change," remarked Ayu with a cat-like grin, "once this business is done; I recall a unanimous decision was made among us to seek cooking lessons.", which prompted grins from Misaki and Seria.

Observing their interactions, Oriana thought to herself with a grin of her own: "If they are going to who I suspect they are for 'cooking lessons', it's possible that he will have his hands full, and in more ways than one … when that time comes upon you, Do Your Best, Kamijou-kun."

"Just to keep things moving along while we're here, Thomson-san." inquired Misaki, "would you mind tell us how you first met Touma … assuming it might have been probably different from the circumstances by which he first met us?"

In response, Oriana recounted briefly her initial encounter with Touma during the Daihaseisai; noting that, at that point in time, they were on opposing sides. Later, they met each other again and were allies in the midst of the British Royal Coup. "Just from observation, I think I should mention that Kamijou-kun seems to have a few, how-do-I-put-it, admirers back in England." was her closing comment as she paused.

"Somehow I think I can speak for the three of us when I say that does not come as a surprise." Misaki's response held a hint of irritation, and similar vibes were being radiated by Seria and Ayu.

"It's all right." Oriana sought to reassure them. "I don't claim to have observed all his actions during the incident in England, but from what I have seen, Kamijou-kun seems to have made no advance towards anyone to date. Knowing what I now know about him, I suggest the reason for that is possibly he's held himself back from that sort of thing, based on his propensity for misfortune plus the loss of his memories. Both of those factors, admittedly, could certainly be problematic with regards to establishing that sort of relationship."

"We apologize if for a moment we seemed ready to snap, Thomson-san." replied Ayu, "but at least among the three of us, we've come to realize that Touma has what appears to be an almost supernatural tendency to attract females. At least, to his credit, and from all indications, he's not doing so consciously."

"There's even a joke among his classmates," interjected Seria, with a smirk "which has gradually grown to become a sort of urban legend within our school, that Touma's attractiveness towards females is his true esper ability. Personally, I suspect Tsuchimikado might have had a hand in establishing that."

"Just to mention, regarding myself," Oriana continued, "I was raised and received my formal education within a religious order, wherein a rather high regard was placed upon celibacy. That doesn't necessarily apply to me anymore, as I left that order years ago; but in all honesty, I've never given thought to entering into any sort of relationship with a man, unless perhaps it one day led to marriage. Perhaps if Kamijou-kun were a few years older, I might have considered something along that line; but I'm willing to conclude, based on what I now know: he would be a very good catch for any girl or woman, whether right now or even in the future. That having been said, call it my own intuition when I suggest that, in another time and place, the three of you would probably be rivals with each other, when it comes to Kamijou-kun. If you're fine with revealing it, I'm interested in knowing how it is that you've banded together, as you seem to have done."

Glancing at each other, and receiving a nod from Ayu and Misaki, Seria proceeded to disclose certain events which occurred roughly over a month ago.

 

In the 'pocket universe' which serves as the Invisible Thing's current domain, Touma was, figuratively speaking, reeling at the revelation that he might actually have access to something other than Imagine Breaker, as said Invisible Thing itself mentioned.

"Well, this Kamijou-san was of the impression that nothing could surprise me much anymore – I should have known better? So where do I or we begin to unravel this mystery, Dragon-san?" asked Touma.

Dragon-san replied simply: "The beginning is usually a good place to start. Do you know about the origins of those called Magic Gods?"

"Not at all." was Touma's reply.

The Invisible Thing continued: "Taking things from that point will likely make other things clearer. I know most if not all about it because, when it comes to the ever-increasing activities of those who have become Magic Gods, in addition to that of your own species, I find it interesting." Touma raised an eyebrow at that statement.

The Invisible Thing carried on: "Seemingly, in all the untold eons of my recognizing my existence, I have become aware that there are countless other entities; if not same as me, then similar. For the most part, we were and are content to remain in our own pocket universes, not particularly seeking interaction with each other, beyond recognizing the other's existence. There were very few exceptions to that trend; I probably could recall those that happened. Neither do most entities seem to have much interest in the universe in which you, your species and your world exists. For myself, that changed when your species came into being, and especially when, over the course of your evolutionary progression, you discovered what you refer to as magic, and just as significantly, when you discovered that which you generally refer to as esper abilities. It was all so interesting; even fascinating."

"Excuse my interruption, Dragon-san, but, specifically about Imagine Breaker - do you know whether its origin is magic, or science, or some combination of both?" Touma cut in at that point.

The Invisible Thing's response was: "I submit that what you call Imagine Breaker is rooted more in magic than science; even though the lines between the two can be blurred at times."

"Hmm, … that by itself just might explain why it is that Academy City's technology cannot seem to analyze or quantify it." Touma pondered that point.

"There is also something I should point out; when I, so-to-say, examined you a moment ago," was the Invisible Thing's next statement. "I detected residual traces of supernatural energies around you. I'm speculating they could hardly reside upon your physical body directly, else Imagine Breaker would have likely negated them, but they seemed to be of a relatively high intensity to avoid total negation, unless you could somehow touch them directly, and yet be in rather close enough proximity to affect your immediate vicinity in your world, if not affect you personally. Also, these energies are rather … how should I put it ... intricately interweaved, so that the mana associated with them cannot be detected, except by, relatively speaking, either a powerful magic-user, or one of the Magic Gods themselves."

To that, Touma's next question was: "Can you determine where those energies came from?"

The Invisible Thing replied: "Judging from the particular patterns of those energies, I submit that one, so-to-say, set of supernatural energy seems to have its origin in the Magic Gods; the timing of its impress upon you seemed to coincide approximately with the moment of your birth into your world. The other set, from what I have sensed, seems to have manifested some time later. Both energies, while having some similarities, were for the most part incompatible with each other, and therefore, the second one seemed to reduce the influence of the other, even if the former was not totally dispersed. In a little while, I should be able to trace its general point of origin."

Touma responded: "That sounds creepy to say the least, but it suggests that my misfortune might actually be not so much about Imagine Breaker. If I recall some of what those with whom I associate with from the Magic Side have said about things like that, it would seem that someone – be it the Magic Gods or another – had put some sort of curse on me, or at least tried to. Do you have any knowledge of Imagine Breaker residing in other persons or things before me?"

Dragon-san's response was: "I have observed a few things; but, as I stated previously, perhaps it would help to start from what I consider the beginning; not so much the beginning of the universe, but the beginning where the Magic Gods set in motion certain events which ultimately led to the creation of what you refer to as Imagine Breaker."

 

Back in the real world, Tsuchimikado Motoharu had been at work setting up around the Kamijou Residence a collection of small aerials, each upon its own tripod and with what appeared to be a small mirror (actually a solar collector) above each aerial. Together, they actually constituted a solar-powered intrusion detection array, operating across the e.m. (electro-magnetic) spectrum from infra-red to ultra-violet – an example of advanced technology from Academy City that he could probably only have acquired with help from Kumokawa Seria. Using a miniature but advanced drone (another technological item from Academy City), he was in the process of affixing some aerials around the upper portion of the house structure. Once the system was powered up, the house and immediate property would be effectively surrounded by a (so-to-say) curtain of e.m. waves, from infra-red light to ultra-violet light. If any foreign object whether living or inanimate, broke through that curtain, said object would be detected. While on occasion he has had cause to carry a firearm with him, on this occasion (primarily due to gun laws in Japan), he carried with him a specially modified blowgun which loads and shoots darts containing a fast-acting tranquilizer agent.

Index and Othinus joined him outside, and Tsuchimikado filled them in on what he was doing, skipping most of the elaborate details, which would be hardly comprehensible to those unacquainted with Science. Nothing more was said for a moment until Index asked: "Uh, Tsuchimikado-san, ... do you know the red-haired magician known as Stiyl, and the tall long-haired brunette who carries a long sword, who have been in Touma's company on a few occasions?"

Tsuchimikado paused for an instant before replying: "To put it briefly, Index-san … the red-haired magician goes by the name of Stiyl Magnus, and the swordswoman, Kanzaki Kaori. They are both agents of Necessarius and were both your caretakers and guardians, even when you somehow came to Academy City, and up to the point where Kami-Yan saved you from another memory erasure, _nya_."

Index pressed further: "I happened to see a letter that I presume one of them left for Touma after he apparently prevented my memory erasure, six months ago. The letter self-destructed by a delayed spell cast upon it, but I did manage to read its contents before it did so. What I want to know is: why did they leave me with Touma, even though it was apparently discovered it was no longer needed to erase my memories?"

In as gentle a voice as he could, even for the moment dropping his verbal tic, Tsuchimikado responded: "You might get a better answer if you asked them yourself, Index-san. While I don't know every last detail right now, I do know that, following your memories being spared and Kami-Yan's being erased, some sort of agreement was made between Academy City's General Superintendent and the Archbishop of Neccesarius, so that you would be left in Academy City. The intent was that you would thereby being relatively safe from any magicians or magical societies who would seek you out, mostly for the grimoires stored in your mind. With the exception of Aureolus Izzard and Yamisaka Ouma, the endeavor to conceal you as was done seemed to work. Kami-Yan was apparently chosen as your caretaker, since, at least as we know it now … although it's possible both Crowley & Stuart knew more than that ... he's an esper in name only, so that, if magicians do come after you, his actions in protecting you would not appear to contravene the Magic-Science Treaty."

Tsuchimikado paused a moment before continuing: "Looking back, Index-san, it probably explains why you have had little exposure to the outside world since you've been here. Just as amazingly, or it can be attributed to his persistent misfortune, Kami-Yan has apparently received no assistance or compensation, from either Necessarius or Academy City, for what he had to deal with from then to now." Index made no comment at that closing statement, as the revelation gradually sank into her mind.

"Even if I had not been observing him directly, as this generation's bearer of Imagine Breaker, until we first met in Baggage City," came in Othinus, "it would be easy to just chalk it up to his seeming misfortune that a 16-year old boy gets charged with taking care of a young girl, as that human has had to do with Index over the last 6 or so months. He did suggest some time ago that someday he and Index should have a talk with this Stiyl and Kanzaki."

Tsuchimikado remarked: "That might be difficult to do right now, Othinus-san, as relations between Academy City and Necessarius … or more specifically, Crowley and Stuart ... have soured to the point where they seem to be heading towards hostility, if not outright war, as I previously disclosed, _nya_."

Tsuchimikado paused again for a moment while continuing his securing of the premises, before continuing: "I could imagine, if certain conditions fell into place, Stiyl and Kanzaki abandoning the Archbishop, if for no other reason than to protect Index-san; if ever she and Kami-Yan have that discussion with them, they could comment more on that. But, even if all other members of Necessarius should abandon or turn away from her, Laura Stuart is still a powerful and dangerous magic-user in her own right, who's more than willing to act on her own, if she chooses, and she's twisted enough that any strike she might undertake won't be focused on Crowley; she has no hesitation to catch innocents in the cross-fire, if only to rub it in Crowley's face. And the same applies equally to Crowley."

Othinus then asked: "So far as is known, are other groups or factions associated with the Science Side preparing for possible war, similar to what Ollerus disclosed regarding the Magic Side in general?"

Tsuchimikado answered: "Yes they are, although most are keeping their actions in that respect concealed. If you recall, Othinus-san, many of them observed what transpired back in Sargasso, when you first appeared as a full Magic God … although I personally have a feeling that certain things happened that perhaps only Kami-Yan and yourself are aware of ..., and some might go to extreme methods, such as nuclear weapons, as their means of defense or counterattack. Truly Kami-Yan will have his work cut out for him, if it somehow falls to him to end any conflict that breaks out, and with any luck, it may be up to him to do so."

 

_FLASHBACK_

_The scene was around the end of November, when Touma had been brought back to Academy City, after the apparent death of Magic God Othinus. True to form, a battered and beaten, but surprisingly still alive Touma was once more the occupant of his dedicated room at A Certain Hospital. Notwithstanding the news reports and video footage being generated either inside or outside Academy City, the identity of the young man who accompanied the "dangerous terrorist" remained for the most part un-noticed by all but a select few in Academy City._

_In the first two days of his once more taking up unconscious residence in his hospital room, Index was at first his only visitor, while freeloading at Komoe-sensei's residence. That changed in somewhat dramatic fashion one day, when three persons … specifically, Seria, Misaki and Ayu … showed up at the hospital, only recognizing each other's presence as they approached Touma's room from different directions. Misaki and Seria had, for the most part, become "cordial" rivals, following Touma's intervention in the life-or-death confrontation between Misaki and Ayu; notwithstanding, without either notifying or consulting one another, each of them decided independently to visit him on that day. Ayu had been officially confined at Academy City's Reformatory, following the outcome of that intervention, but in actuality was sheltered by Seria and Misaki from the City's Dark Side, who had sought to use her in their own schemes; it was unknown for the most part whether those who had initially sought to use her were still in operation. Even though sheltered, she kept in touch with ongoing events through her access of the Internet. Having learned of Touma's return, Ayu broke out of her "protective custody", to likewise turn up at the hospital._

_To put it mildly, the atmosphere swiftly though silently built to a dramatic pitch. Even without any spoken words from either of them tensions and emotions flared; so much that people in immediate vicinity instinctively started to shy away. It was debatable what might have transpired within the next few moments, except for someone opening the door and exiting Touma's room, to witness the scenario that had been, literally, simmering; that someone being none other than Heaven Canceller._

_"Oh, it seems that Kamijou-kun has more visitors today than usual." remarked the doctor, seemingly unfazed by the hostile atmosphere that was present. His remark, fortunately, seemed to momentarily disperse the tensions that had been building beforehand._

_Seemingly first to recover her composure enough to speak, Misaki replied to Heaven Canceller with a bow: "Good day to you, sensei."_

_"Oh, … now I recognize you, Shokuhou-san," was Heaven Canceller's reply. "Granted it has been a while since we last spoke following what happened over a year ago."_

_Misaki seemed to flinch momentarily, but made her own reply: "I will presume, unless I'm told otherwise, nothing has changed on that. Ah … I'm not aware whether you've ever met my … associates before now, sensei. This is Kumokawa Seria-san; she attends To … Kamijou-san's high school and is actually his sempai. This is Mitsuari Ayu-san; like me, she also attends Tokiwadai." Seria and Ayu swiftly greeted Heaven Canceller with bows of their own._

_"It's a pleasure, Kumokawa-san, Mitsuari-san." responded the doctor, cordially. "I can probably assume why you're here, but rather than converse in the corridor like this, I can permit you a few minutes to see Kamijou-kun. Please bear in mind; unless he happens to awaken now, he probably won't know you're present."_

_"We are grateful for that, sensei." exclaimed Seria; all three of them bowing once more in response._

_A few seconds later, Heaven Canceller and the three young ladies were in Touma's room. As indicated, he was unconscious, but at least appeared to be resting peacefully, even though bandaged over much of his head, arms and body as is visible. While no word is uttered, a look in Ayu's, Misaki's and Seria's eyes would indicate the sight of the boy they have feelings for in his present state, was as a proverbial knife being thrust through their hearts._

_"I had just finished my routine check on Kamijou-kun when I was leaving his room." remarked Heaven Canceller, "so I can offer a brief summary of the extent of his condition, when he was brought back to Academy City: frostbite, hypothermia, early stage of starvation, multiple signs of severe physical trauma of unknown origin. From my own judgement, were it not for his ability to at least begin the process of healing himself from injury … it's something I've always found to be fascinating about him whenever he's brought here, ... even I doubt that Kamijou-kun would have survived being retrieved from Denmark. Granted because I'm occupied with my work, I admit no full knowledge of what he was doing on almost the other side of the globe ... although quite a few of the nurses have made it a point to keep me up-to-date on news reports mentioning a young Japanese male 'in the company of a dangerous terrorist', following whatever took place at Sargasso."_

_Taking the opportunity to speak at that point, Seria responded: "I submit that the full details of that occurrence are yet to be fully revealed. For now, we shall leave Kamijou-kun in your care, sensei, as you no doubt have your other patients to attend to.", bowing to Heaven Canceller, together with Ayu and Misaki. Heaven Canceler nodded in response, as the girls took their leave._

_Interlude_

_Some moments later after the doctor departed once again, there was a rustling taking place near the pillow upon which Touma's head was resting. After a few seconds, a 15-cm tall female figure, dressed in the same clothing she wore when, so-to-say, she had her original size, emerged to sit cross legged alongside the pillow, her presence undetected by either Heaven Canceller or the visitors who had just left._

_"I know that nun who lives with him visits often whenever he's laid up here, as does that short-haired girl who casts electricity, but these new faces … this could prove interesting. Once this human awakens, I must remember to look for a suitable opportunity to mention it." remarked the former Magic God known as Othinus._

_End Interlude_

_A few minutes later, having decided on the spot after exiting Touma's room that they needed to talk, Ayu, Misaki & Seria are seated at a table in the Hospital's Cafeteria. They spoke to one another in low voices, but the tension that was present before they met Heaven Canceler seemed to be building once more._

_Seria said, almost growling in her vocal tone: "You definitely took a risk in sneaking out as you did, Mitsuari-san, considering that there may still be elements of the City's Dark Side looking for you."_

_Ayu responded, a slight hiss in her voice: "Pure and simple; when I found out about his return, plus certain other things, there was no way short of incapacitating me, or more, that I would have stayed where I was. If our positions were reversed, would you have stayed in place, Kumokawa-san?_

_Rubbing her temples, Seria sighed before replying: "Of course not." pausing to indicate towards Misaki, "and I suspect this little girl would have done like-wise if roles were reversed further."_

_For her own response, Misaki took out her phone, and after opening up her inbox, placed the phone before Seria and Ayu, revealing a certain message sent a while back to all of Acdemy City's Level 5 espers; then she spoke in a level tone: "Please rest assured, 'old woman', and you also, Mitsuari-san ... circumstances present at the time I received this dictated that I should just laugh at it, even though I was definitely hiding my real feelings. If I've never stated it, especially to either of you, I do so now: I have no interests in the plans or schemes of Academy City's higher-ups, or even those of the General Superintendent, whoever that may be ... but if I could have traced the origin of that message, whoever it was, I'd probably have take some action, even if he would not approve of it."_

_After a few seconds pause, Seria took out out her own phone, and, after tapping a few keys, she placed hers before Misaki and Ayu, displaying video footage off a secured server. The footage was captured via high-orbiting satellite, meaning their was no audio, but nonetheless, while the image quality varied at times, the footage captured some if not all of Touma's battles in Denmark, including his encounters with Accelerator and the Railgun._

_"This is only a brief clip; it would be risky for me to show any more, even with my position." remarked Seria, "but at least I have seen, and now you both are seeing, just a glimpse of what he's been through over there." Ayu and Misaki said nothing as they watched the footage for a few minutes._

_"Excuse me, Kumokawa-san." Ayu exclaimed after a moment, noticing some of Touma's opponents in action, albeit briefly, such as the Saints Silvia and Brunhild Ekitobel (granted their identities were unknown to the Science Side in general), "but unless I'm mistaken, this footage is displaying persons demonstrating seemingly superhuman powers, but they don't appear to be espers; at least, not out of Academy City."_

_Without missing a beat, Seria answered: "Your observation is correct. Except for the Number One and Number Three Level 5's, all of Touma's opponents recorded on this video, are wielding or exercising a power or powers which has virtually nothing to do with Science … whether of this City of any other. To put it simply, the world outside of the Science Side generally refers to these powers as Magic."_

_Both Misaki and Ayu start for an instant, but spoke nothing for a few seconds; after which, Misaki replied: "At any other time, I would have concluded that either you had suddenly lost your mind, or were attempting to demonstrate some sort of pranking ability. Fortunately, something in your speech and mannerisms implies you're being serious, Kumokawa-san."_

_"Seems that you're gradually showing some maturity, yourself, Shokuhou-san." was Seria's response. "Somehow, we both know, and it probably extends to Mitsuari-san also; perhaps the only time we can put aside our mutual animosity is if he's the subject. Perhaps this could be discussed in further detail another time, but, suffice it to say, Magic is far more than an amusement for children's birthday parties, or the subject of some fictional media … it is very real, it is out there, and, so far as my own research into the matter goes, this is the world in which Touma is heavily involved. Moreover, whatever seems to be in his right hand does not seem to be any sort of esper ability; granted the City's data banks seem to have no conclusive data on it, so right now even those who run the Power Curriculum Program are just speculating about it."_

_Silence reigned in the vicinity for a few more moments before Seria spoke once again: "This is probably something we each know in our respective ways … I've watched Touma go through many incidents here in this City, even before whatever happened in July of this year; many times ending up in the hospital ... no compensation, no acknowledgment of what he's done, although he seems not to be interested in fame or recognition. Right now, all of that is threatening to result in his being held back in school to repeat his current year; and this is probably without reference to whatever else he has been involved with outside of Academy City and Japan. Of course, and to be frank, I admit having little knowledge of what takes place outside."_

_"I can concur," replied Ayu. "As an example, the British Royal Coup and World War III seem to have very few official reports or comments readily available to the public … possibly a cover-up by some if not all of the higher-ups of the City … but quite a few underground sites on the Internet … mostly older discussion forums and message boards ... have documented, even briefly, sightings of a young Japanese male being not only present through those incidents, but even sightings of his direct involvement."_

_"All of that probably confirms something the three of us already know well," was Misaki's contribution to the immediate discourse. "Even if we might not know all the initial details which led to it, Touma will almost willingly throw himself into any sort of conflict or danger to help someone, regardless of the possible risk to himself. However, I've made a personal decision following this last incident involving the so-called International Terrorist or Magic God ... even if Touma might never again have any memory of me, I refuse any longer to merely stand to one side and watch him deal with the garbage that Life seems to throw at him."_

_"This is again one of those times when I'm in complete agreement with you, Shokuhou-san." was Ayu's simple and direct response._

_After a few seconds, and with a strange light in her own eyes, Seria put the following question to Misaki and Ayu: "Listen very carefully; I shall say this only once … are you serious about what you just stated … even if it entails the possibility of pitting yourselves against other Level 5's, the government of the City, or even the Science Side as a whole?"_

_Both Ayu and Misaki bristled for an instant, before replying, simultaneously and emphatically: "Yes!" … then remembering to keep their voices down._

_After a few seconds, and seemingly satisfied that their responses were sincere, Seria continued: "To put it briefly, following my own viewing the footage of whatever happened in Denmark, I have begun formulating a plan. The plan has three objectives – first: solve Touma's impending problems at school; second: search for a way to minimize if not eliminate his seeming tendency for misfortune, which seems to be connected to the mysterious power in his right hand called Imagine Breaker; third: do likewise regarding his apparently lost memories since six months ago."_

_Misaki and Ayu remained silent for the moment, although their attention did not waver for an instant, as Seria went on. "I'll admit; I started this with full intent of doing it all by myself, …" pausing as if to collect her thoughts, before resuming, "… but, following what has happened today up to now, I'm willing to temporarily put aside the obvious fact that we three are rivals 'in that way' for Touma; therefore, and before I change my mind on the matter, I'm willing to invite you both to work with me to make this plan succeed."_

_Ayu's and Misaki's eyes widen on that closing statement, but neither spoke for a few seconds._

_After said pause, and glancing at each other, it was Ayu who responded first: "To put it bluntly, if you did not invite me to join you after revealing your intentions, I might have started devising my own plan. Therefore, you may count me in on yours, Kumokawa-san; even if the particulars are to be worked out later."_

_"The same goes for myself." responded Misaki. "It might even be wise, so as minimize the chance of drawing any unwanted attention, that perhaps I should maintain my opinion ability of the old hag here," glancing at Seria, "at least if we happen to be seen together in public."_

_"I'm fine with reciprocating the same towards this little brat, and for the same reason." retorted Seria, with a smirk._

_"Hmm, how nice to see true companions getting along." stated Ayu, with a hint of teasing in her voice._

_The momentary bit of humor having passed, things got a bit more serious._

_"Very well, then … Shokuhou-san and I will feed you whatever information we acquire, Mitsuari-san." stated Seria, "plus I'll arrange to provide you access to additional computing resources as I can arrange via my employer. To be up front, one of the first items we'll have to peruse in depth is one that you're both familiar with in some ways … the Parameter List."_

_Ayu bristled for a second, remembering said List as one of the catalysts which set off her original conflict with Misaki._

_"Please be assured, Mitsuari-san … I bear no grudge about what happened then." was Misaki's comment. "Another time and place, our roles in that matter might have been reversed, and we have Touma to thank for ultimately saving us. And, surprisingly enough, we must even include Kumokawa-san for guiding him to intervene when he did."_

_END FLASHBACK_

 

The scene has shifted back to the present day, as Seria concluded the revelation to Oriana: "Since then, we have been working together up to this moment, revealing nothing of our plans or intentions to Touma until a few days ago. It was certainly not an easy or smooth road, but in the course of doing so, we have come to understand each other, probably better than if we had each set out to do this individually and independent of each other. Had we not joined forces as we did, we would have probably gotten in each other's way, and Touma's situation would not have been dealt with, even up to the point we have now reached."

With a wide grin on her face, Oriana replied: "Perhaps what you've disclosed is the sign of an ability that Kamijou-kun possesses that is neither exclusive to Science or Magic; to draw people together for a common purpose. For now, and for the most part, it seems to be unconscious, but one day perhaps, it might be deliberate. I'm not certain if per chance Tsuchimikado has ever disclosed this to any of you, but among certain factions of the Magic Side, there are rumors of the formation of what some are calling a 'Kamijou Faction', arising out of Kamijou-kun's associations with certain rather high-profile magicians as well as some if not all of your City's Level 5 espers. Needless to say, a few factions view this possibility with concern if not alarm, as traditionally, the two Sides remain separate and, if this Faction should ever become a fact, who's to say what might happen to the balance of power between Magic and Science?"

After taking in that disclosure, even as they resumed preparing dinner, Seria responded with a smile: "Such is to be expected of Kamijou Touma. Well, if the day ever comes when Touma does something like that deliberately, Thomson-san, and I think I can speak for my companions when I say so," pausing to observe a V-sign from Misaki and a thumbs-up from Ayu, "we trust him enough to stand by him if not behind him."

 

Back in a certain Pocket Universe, Touma's education on the subject of Magic Gods was getting underway:

"Chances are most if not all of what I will reveal to you, my host, is not recorded in any history of your species," commented the Invisible Thing, "either that or any record has long been lost."

Touma's response was: "I'm all ears, so-to-say. Dragon-san."

Dragon-san proceeded: "First, I put it that the term 'Magic God' may be a bit of a misnomer. A Magic God is a being who might be considered a master of their particular branch or school of Magic, sufficient to alter so-called "reality" in virtually any way they might choose, but attainment of such a level doesn't automatically make them omnipotent or invincible. Since most if not all of them were originally humans, even at the mental level they may still retain various tendencies, proclivities and predispositions common to your species They can still be challenged, or even defeated in a conflict with either a stronger power, or, as it turned out, if another being could discover a way to bypass or negate their seeming omnipotence."

Recalling a certain progression of events a few weeks ago, Touma remarked: "I don't claim to know all the specifics on that, but this Kamijou-san recalls that as what apparently happened to one or two of the Magic Gods when they appeared in or around Academy City some time back."

The Invisible Thing continued: "Indeed - generally, there are often vast differences between a mere magician or magic user, and one who has become a Magic God. It would also seem that one can become or be, relatively-speaking, a powerful magic user, without becoming a Magic God; nonetheless, there are only a few exceptions of which I'm aware."

With that, the Invisible Thing proceeded to reveal to Touma, albeit in a summarized form, all that it has observed regarding the increase in number of Magic Gods and their withdrawal into what was once the Hidden World; only appearing in this world on somewhat rare occasions, as they saw fit. It seemed to be a majority decision rather than a unanimous one, but the result was the same.

Dragon-san elaborated further: "All of them seemed to have both varying degrees of expectation regarding what they could or should do with their powers, together with concerns of what might happen should the exercise of those powers go out of control. It seemed to be an unconscious act rather than a deliberate one that the collection of Magic Gods should think this way, but out of that rather uncoordinated mode of thought – a mixture of hopes and fears – was created what is now known as Imagine Breaker. Another time and place, perhaps, if they had consciously and deliberately pooled their efforts into its creation, perhaps Imagine Breaker might have different characteristics than it seems to have now."

"Well, that at least seems to correspond with something revealed a while ago, that Imagine Breaker, while it can affect magic, is not a magic spell, or at least not in the true sense of what magic is." commented Touma, "Of course, Magic is not my field of study or expertise, so for now I must take the explanation as it's given."

"Your information is fundamentally correct." replied the Invisible Thing. "Imagine Breaker is not so much a magic spell that can be cast, but an agency capable of being wielded and used. Again, from observation of the Magic Gods, as well as those who were its bearer before you, it seems that the Magic Gods cannot wield Imagine Breaker directly or at least not without great difficulty, as it can even affect their magical nature to a point. Most times, they infuse some inanimate object with it, or on occasion, they can cause it to fuse with another being, such as it had been fused with yourself, before you were physically born. As to what Imagine Breaker does or was intended to do, as far as the Magic Gods are concerned, its purpose was and probably still is to undo changes effected to reality by any or all of the Magic Gods and revert things back to some chosen state before the change; the chosen "reset" point is more often than not selected by the wielder. By extension, it can affect changes to reality set in motion even by magic users who are not Magic Gods themselves."

Touma interjected there: "And it seems from what I've experienced that it can also affect esper abilities."

"Indeed." was Dragon-san's reply.

"But what about you, Dragon-san?" was Touma's next question. "So far as I know, Imagine Breaker seems to seal you from, I guess, freely entering our universe, so what does that make you – a part of Imagine Breaker, or something else altogether?"

Dragon-san responded: "I am something else apart from Imagine Breaker. While I had no inclination of my own to interact with your world or universe, it turned out that, on some rare occasions, a life-form, whether of your own species, or another, comes along, which is able to bond with me, and by so doing, the host, for want of a better description, can summon me to their world, and via that bond, the host form can actually draw upon, direct and wield the power that is the essence of what I am. Simply put, you are not my first host, nor will you likely be my last."

After a few seconds of pondering that last point, Touma then asked: "Just how does that happen?"

"From all that I have observed, it seems to be a matter of what your science calls Resonance or Harmony." was Dragon-san's response.

At that comment, Touma paused to recollect something else from school and science lessons: "This is only a simple definition, but supposedly two or more objects which are in resonance with each other vibrate at the same frequency or rate, and this condition even allows energy to be transferred from one to the other."

"I would consider that explanation the general idea." replied the Invisible Thing.

"That probably brings up an obvious question; do you have any idea as to how or why you're sealed by Imagine Breaker?" was Touma's next question.

The Invisible Thing replied: "Again, this is my speculation, but based on what I've observed regarding the actions of the Magic Gods, when they somehow identified and selected you to be the host of Imagine Breaker in your current generation, they seemed to notice your resonance with me; whether at that time they recognized what I am remains to be seen. Consequently, and by working with each other, it seemed that they managed to manipulate Imagine Breaker, so that it when it fused with you, it also formed a seal over my easily being summoned to your universe. I suspect that it was all part of their decision to make you their 'scorer'."

Starting at the Invisible Thing's last statement, Touma exclaimed: "'Scorer', you say … now that I think about it, when the Magic God known as High Priest showed up in Academy City a while ago, he sought me out and supposedly wanted me to agree to accept the position of the 'scorer', whatever that is. Granted he seemed to give no explanation as to just what that was all about, but then, after what I went through with almost recalling the infinite hells at the hands of Othi-chan, I was probably in no shape to pay attention to anything he'd have said."

"The name 'Othi-chan' … does not seem to register with me." was Dragon-san's comment.

After a few seconds, it spoke again: "Ah, yes, the former Magic God you referred to one time as Othinus … it was certainly interesting to observe her transition from destroyer of your universe to her current state. I do recall our first encounter when she crushed my corporeal form after first severing your hand."

With caution in his voice, Touma inquired: "Uh, you're not harboring thoughts of revenge for that ... are you, Dragon-san?

The Invisible Thing replied: "Not particularly; in fact, she might have done you, Imagine Breaker, and myself a favor by her actions at the time. On certain levels, I've responded to what happened by undergoing changes to my own nature; suffice it to say that if she or anyone else attempts such a thing in the future, the outcome of such an attempt might prove to be interesting. Similarly, Imagine Breaker has undergone some changes to its nature, as have you yourself. Getting back to the notion of the 'scorer' … to put it briefly, the Magic Gods decided, while they chose to minimize their presence in your world and universe, they still had concerns regarding the exercise of their powers even in the Hidden World, whether consciously or unconsciously, and potential side-effects or after-effects upon your world. They concluded that someone from your species would observe and provide them with feedback regarding the exercise of their powers and any resulting effects; said person was to be the 'scorer'. For what it's worth, their intention was, and perhaps still is, that in exchange for fulfilling the role, the Magic Gods would make the scorer's wishes and desires into reality via their powers."

Taking a moment to ponder that last statement, Touma responded: "This will require going over again more than once, but somehow I suspect the Magic Gods couldn't or wouldn't just come forth and tell me up front that they wanted me to be their scorer."

To that, Dragon-san replied: "I submit they wouldn't disclose their intentions from the onset; rather, they decided that the chosen one would undergo a process of growth along lines they chose, till some future point is reached, at which things might have been revealed."

Touma was silent for a moment before speaking further: "Seems to me that the 'scorer', even with the unrevealed promise of having his or her wishes and desires granted, is merely a tool to be used by the Magic Gods. And then, if one thinks about it, would the scorer, who I presume also bears Imagine Breaker, be able to receive the granting of his or her wishes, without Imagine Breaker getting in the way?"

Dragon-san seemed to ponder that question a bit, before making its own reply: "Such a viewpoint is not without warrant. Likewise, as to whether they could grant the scorer's wishes and desires via their powers, even in the presence of Imagine Breaker, you might have to ask them that question yourself."

"And does the 'chosen one' have the option of declining the position as scorer?" asked Touma.

"Again, that question you might have to ask of them, my host." replied the Invisible thing, "but from what I observed, their own conflicting thoughts regarding whether you were growing in the direction they wanted inevitably led to the creation of that other power you know of as the World Rejector. Once again, and in similar manner as when Imagine Breaker first came into existence, it was not a conscious or deliberate creative act on their part."

Touma was silent for a while before making any further comment: "Can't say this Kamijou-san is particularly thrilled to learn of this, but it's probably better this all comes out now, rather than continue to drift along in ignorance … so, it seems that I was selected without prior knowledge or consent as a tool to be used in the plans of the Magic Gods. And probably in similar fashion, I'm supposedly just a tool to be used in the plans of Academy City's General Superintendent. And one could add to that the supposition that the energies you detected around me – some of it was possibly the Magic Gods having invoked misfortune on me for roughly my whole life up to now, as part of their making me grow in a particular way, to suit their own ends ... Ah – before it slips my mind; you said you detected another pattern of supernatural energy; can you determine where it came from?"

The Invisible Thing paused for a while, as its whiskers began floating about its head, before replying: "It would seems that other energy pattern had it origin in the place you refer to as Academy City, and, as I mentioned, whoever projected that energy pattern towards you was not a Magic God themselves, but a rather powerful magic-user. This other energy pattern was directed towards you approximately nine years ago, as you note the progression of time in your world."

"At this point I can only conclude that, unless there was or is another magic-user in Academy City at the time, everything is pointing towards the City's General Superintendent, who, as it was revealed to this Kamijou-san and others a while back, was and perhaps still is a magic-user. One more thing for the moment; regarding others before me who have been your host – just how have they used and wielded your power?" inquired Touma.

Dragon-san replied: "That might take a while to disclose, even if we communicate mind to mind, but in summary, there are those who have used the power constructively, as well as destructively. It would seem that I myself do not exercise any influence upon the host as to how they may use the power they draw from me or for what purpose. If I did not mention it before, I do so now; the concepts of what your species refer to as 'good' and 'evil' are somewhat foreign to me, so up to now, it is the mind-set of the host, and that alone, that determines the direction and use of the power."

Touma sighed before speaking again: "I definitely have to go over all of this at least once more, later, but it would seem that, up to this point, at least one thing that Kumokawa-sempai wanted to achieve has been, in part if not in full … I now have an idea of just what Imagine Breaker is. Come to think about it, you mentioned that what might amount to one or more magical curses seem to have been cast upon me, which likely have resulted in my life being generally filled with misfortune. If so, then negating said energies should put an end to that. You said the energies are not directly on my person; then how can I negate them?"

"Imagine Breaker is currently focused within or around your right hand, thereby acting as a seal over me." replied the Invisible Thing. "I myself cannot affect or manipulate it, but with the awareness you now have, it should be possible to extend it so that it may spread out over your whole physical body and perhaps outwards, so as to reach those supernatural energies and thereby dissipate them. Perhaps something currently in your memory analogous to the process my help you determine how that can be done."

"Something in my memory ..." Touma paused to search said memories. Inexplicably, something from a science lesson over the last six months came to him – a demonstration of diffusion; a drop of dye released into a container of water gradually spreads out until all the water is colored. Instantly, Touma translated that memory to the task he wanted accomplished; he regarded Imagine Breaker as the drop of ink and willed it to spread out.

For a few seconds nothing seemed to happen, when Dragon-san interjected: "I have 'seen' the mental picture you are seeking to emulate. A suggestion if I may; the substance does not force itself to spread, but does so effortlessly. Perhaps you should think that Imagine Breaker will do so of its own accord, without you or another having to force its action."

Recalling at that moment what the Matriarch told him about being relaxed, Touma gradually made himself relaxed, simply willing Imagine Breaker to move, according to his mental directing. Gradually, he became aware of something seemingly moving from his right hand and slowly yet steadily encompassing his entire body, even spreading outward.

 

Back in the real world, Choi Shi and the Matriarch were maintaining their vigil over Touma's physical body, when both of them started. Choi Shi made a comment to her grand-aunt.

In turn, the Matriarch replied: "I felt it also; the flow of qi over and through Kamijou _xiānshēng_ 's body has changed beyond what we had set in motion."

Within a few moments the Matriarch detected mentally the malevolent magical energies that had been surreptitiously cast around Touma's person. A few moments later, accompanied by Imagine Breaker's characteristic sound, those energies were negated.

 

Outside, Index, Othinus and Tsuchimikado started as they also noticed that occurrence. "Something has happened with that human; although those strange energies that suddenly appeared and disappeared just as quickly could mean anything" stated Othinus.

"Perhaps you two had better go investigate." replied Tsuchimikado, "I'll maintain watch out here just in case."

"Mmm." said Index as, with Othinus and Sphynx in hands, she went back into the house.

 

A single comment was uttered from within a certain Windowless Building located in Academy City:

_"This may prove to be interesting."_

 

Elsewhere, in a realm literally unknown to the majority of the human race, notice of the negation of magical energies around Touma's immediate vicinity was felt by a group of individuals. For a while, no-one made any sort of reaction or response, until someone among the group uttered a simple phrase:

_"Oh, Crap."_


	9. Restorations

Upon re-entering the house, Index proceeded to the living room space, where Touma was still sitting cross-legged upon the floor and entranced. The Matriarch stated to both Othinus and Index: "I presume you also felt what transpired a few moments ago; some malevolent magical energies previously concealed around Kamijou _xiānshēng_ 's vicinity had been uncovered, then they were subsequently negated by Imagine Breaker."

Othinus pondered: "Should we speculate whether those energies and not Imagine Breaker were possibly the real source of this human's misfortune …?", then she suddenly became silent.

"Is something the matter, Othinus?" inquired Index.

"Something is different about him." replied Othinus, a seemingly wary tone in her voice and mannerisms, "not just this human, but if I trust my intuition, even the Invisible Thing seems to be in a different form that when I first encountered it."

 

Back in the pocket universe, and after having exercised a level of control over Imagine Breaker which he had never done before, Touma inquired: "Well then, if I have awakened the ability to manipulate Imagine Breaker, so that it's not permanently confined to my right hand, could I also turn off the sealing effect so that, if the need arises for it, you can emerge without having to sever my hand or arm?"

The Invisible Thing's response was: "It should be possible, … you are free to test it out upon your return to your body."

Mulling over the point momentarily, and recalling Index's fascination with a certain magical girl anime TV series, Touma continued: "Hopefully to do so, this Kamijou-san should not have to strike some sort of pose, or say some elaborate phrase, like one of those _tokusatsu_ or _sentai_ characters."

"Unless you feel inclined to do so, probably not," replied Dragon-San without missing a beat, "in all likelihood, you need only will the seal to be removed, while calling me with your mind to come forth, and it will be so."

 

The discussion would have continued except for something like a collection of fireflies, which had been steadily coalescing in the immediate vicinity of the two beings, until they were now prominently suspended in mid-air before Touma, flickering and pulsating in a seemingly random manner.

The Invisible Thing commented: "It would seem that, perhaps unconsciously, you have drawn the fragment of one of your displaced memories back to you."

Touma seemed to pause for a moment while gazing intently at the fragment hovering before him, before stating: "I recall the doctor telling me my memories were destroyed. Granted he knows more about medicine than I do, perhaps he was thinking and talking from the standpoint of brain cells being destroyed, and since they stored my memories, said memories were lost."

The Invisible Thing replied: "Perhaps that may be so from the standpoint of the physical world, of which I have little experience, save those times where I have manifested myself therein. Again, I speak more from observation rather than any ingrained knowledge; one may regard memories or thoughts as merely energy in a particular form, and while energy might change or be changed from one form to another, energy, like matter, once created, can never be destroyed; were that to happen, and unless energy was re-created or replenished by some means, a point might inevitably be reached where all existence might cease to be. Again from observation, what your species refers to as Science and Philosophy, even including Magic, as some of your species are so interested in, do hold that as a fundamental fact."

Touma replied: "Now that you explained it like that, it does seem to match some of what has been taught in school, so, on that basis, it's possible that my memories should still exist, just not in, how should I say it, the usual form."

The Invisible Thing's further response was: "I'd call that the general idea."

As for the so-called memory fragment, Touma naturally asked: "So how do I take back this part of my memories?"

Dragon-san stated: "My assumption is that it found its way to you; it will inevitably be rejoined with you. Please remember; your body is still back in your world; your mind and soul or spirit is, so-to-say, present in this pocket universe, even if for now, it has taken on the form of your body."

Within a few seconds, the fragment draws closer to Touma. Instinctively he slowly reached out with his left hand to touch it. The moment his hand seemed to touch the fragment, a sequence flashed upon the screen of his mind; something he experienced in his childhood, and Touma found himself looking at it once more, through his own eyes.

The setting was a park on an otherwise normal day, except the immediate area is deserted except for Touma as a young boy, and a man. The man was muttering if not snarling incoherently, even at times drooling. His clothes looked like those of a typical businessman, but were disheveled. While brandishing a large knife in one hand, his eyes bloodshot and wide open, the man continued his ranting: "It was you … you monster … you demon … you caused this to happen to me … you destroyed my life … you'll pay with your own life … DIE!" Young Touma is all alone except for this man; anyone else who might have been present has fled at the sight of this apparently raving maniac. With the knife steadily being raised above his head, the man shambled towards the boy, naturally paralyzed by fear. Thoughts flashed across young Touma's mind: "Am I going to be stabbed by this man? Am I going to die?" … then, suddenly, something inexplicable to his child's mind seemed to awaken within him: "No. It doesn't matter how misfortunate my life has been till now … I refuse to die here, or like this. If anyone thinks I'll just stand here and be stabbed or even die, … _I'll break that illusion of theirs_." With that unspoken declaration, everything suddenly flashed white.

 

After an indeterminate time interval, Touma found himself, looking like his present-day form, in the company of the Invisible Thing, who commented: "It seems that you have re-assimilated that fragment."

After a pause, Touma responded: "It's mind-boggling to say the least, but I now remember that incident clearly, and one or two things connected with it. I was later told that man's business place was inexplicably destroyed in what appeared to be a fire, and that he apparently went insane at the shock of it, somehow coming to believe that I was the cause of it. Now that I look back at it, after I decided there and then that I would not let myself be stabbed, it seems I tapped into you, Dragon-san, without even knowing about you, and somehow stopped him from advancing forward with your power. This Kamijou-san is now wondering what else may show up as a past memory."

The Invisible Thing came back: "You probably can choose to reject any other fragment if it eventually comes back to you."

Pondering that suggestion for a moment, Touma's next response was: "Then again, whatever has happened in the past has served to make me what I am now. It might be unpleasant, even ugly, as well as it might be good, but for various reasons, I should take back all my missing memories, so … if they're coming back to me, let them come."

 

Another memory fragment gradually faded into existence at this point, at which Touma extended his left hand again, but then paused, saying: "You said my body is still in my own world, Dragon-san, so, is Imagine Breaker still there also?"

Dragon-san replied: "Technically, it is."

Touma responded: "That would suggest that I should be able to touch this fragment or any other with my right hand, and not affect it."

The Invisible Thing replied again: "Probably."

With that, Touma slowly reached out with his right hand and the fragment drifted towards him, until it seemed to merge with his hand, as the previous one did with his left. Another hitherto-forgotten past event flashed onto the screen of Touma's mind.

This time, Touma saw himself through his eyes, as a small boy, wearing a jersey and short pants, reclining upon a bed in a room. The windows to the room were open so that air was freely circulating in & out. He was awake but not alone; a young girl is there with him, short hair, petite build, apparently younger, wearing a vest and shorts, asleep and snuggled into the crock of his left shoulder, head resting on his chest. An affectionate feeling stirred within Touma, so that with his right hand, he reached across and gently stroked the girl's hair, as one might stroke the fur of a dog or cat. In response, the girl smiled contentedly in her sleep, murmuring: "Nii-chan is warm." With that, Touma felt his own eyes closing as he drifted off to sleep. The sequence faded but is retained.

"That was my cousin, Otohime-chan, and myself, long ago." remarked Touma after a few moments.

"Interesting," commented the Invisible Thing, "that both your name and that of your 'cousin' seem to have inner meanings."

Starting at that, Touma remarked: "I've heard it mentioned about my own name from one or two people, but I've not heard any such thing about Otohime-chan, at least not until now."

Dragon-san responded: "If I grasp your native spoken language correctly, her full name, Tatsugami Otohime, can be interpreted as: "the Youngest Princess Of The Dragon King". I happened to pick up on her name from your own memories when you met her again some time ago (another reference to events leading up to the Angel Fall incident). Aside from that, I've neither observed her directly, nor noticed anything out of the ordinary concerning her, up to this moment, so whether the meaning of her name is merely a coincidence, or a sign of something present or to come, there is presently no definite answer."

"I might have to look into that at some point …" replied Touma, "... better safe than sorry, as it's often said."

 

Another fragment comes along; as it is re-assimilated into Touma's mind, another previously-forgotten scene reveals itself in like manner as before. He was lying on his back, strapped to what appears to be a stretcher, in the back of a vehicle; it is actually an ambulance in motion. Two persons wearing white coats over their clothes – presumably paramedics – appeared to be administering some sort of treatment to him. As they moved to and fro, Touma noticed their hands are smeared with blood. Although he is strapped down, he can move his head enough to look and see his shirt practically ripped to shreds, and soaked with blood. With no small amount of shock, Touma realized that the paramedics' hands are smeared with his own blood.

_"Just what the hell did this Kamijou-san get involved in to have this happen?"_ was the thought that flashed across present-day Touma's mind.

A few moments later, he became aware of two hands on either side of his head, seemingly gently cradling his head. The hands seem to be similarly smeared with blood, even though they are contained in what appeared to be white laced gloves. Those hands belong to a young girl – blonde hair, eyes with what appear to be golden stars twinkling, but at the same time, tears were freely flowing from those eyes and running down her face; a few tears dripping onto Touma's face. Something stirred within him; for a moment he knew not what. Even as the paramedics continued their treatment, Touma gradually became aware of a voice, seemingly rising in volume yet the voice appeared to be resonating in his mind, rather than being spoken audibly. It was a girl's voice:

**_"You must live, … even if it means you must forget about me, ... you must live."_ **

Touma struggled to focus his un-cooperative vision, trying to recognize this girl whose crying face was above his. After what seemed like a few seconds, the girl's face became clearer, revealing a younger Shokuhou Misaki. Suddenly, Touma realized; this was Misaki as she looked over a year ago. Almost simultaneously, all of his past memories of Misaki were gradually re-awakened in Touma's mind, from their initial meeting (a sort-of collision), whereby he momentarily lost his phone, to the confrontation with the group known as Deadlock, where he shielded her with his own body as they fought with Deadlock and ultimately prevailed. Suddenly, Touma noticed that the voice telling him to forget about her is actually Misaki's voice.

As her voice seemingly became louder, and that sentence continued to echo through his mind, her face and his memories of her seemed to gradually blur and fade away before his vision. Yet, even as Misaki's image has almost faded away completely, something stirred in Touma's consciousness, as if to say: "No – I see no need for me to forget about you, Shokuhou-san." For a moment, the remaining image froze, then solidified and become clear again, as did the memories. Then Misaki's unspoken plea again echoed in his mind, resulting in image and memories blurring and fading. With more emphasis, Touma asserted mentally: "No – this Kamijou-san doesn't have to forget about Shokuhou-san, in order to live!" As before, the image and memories seemed to restore themselves.

"Dragon-san, do you have any idea what was going on there?" asked Touma, without stopping to ponder whether he could converse with the Invisible Thing, during the re-play of this particular past memory.

The Invisible Thing's response, after a few seconds, was: "It would seem that on this occasion of your getting injured, and, relatively speaking, rather seriously, this person's desire for you to live was strong … so much so that she expressed said desire in her own mind, and from all indications, it would seem that you picked up on that particular thought and accepted it into your own thinking process, with the result that, you proceeded to ignore and disregard any and all memory of her from within your mind. I use the words 'ignore and disregard', rather than 'erase', for the reason that your memories of her still exist, even if one point in time you effectively turned off your ability to recall them."

Touma was silent for a while, trying to grasp fully just what happened in the past: "A part of me wants to believe Shokuhou-san didn't deliberately try to make me forget about her … could it be that, in my injured state, coupled with my misfortune, that was the one thought from her which I happened to tune into?"

"It is quite possible that such was the case." replied the Invisible Thing.

"Then I'd like to believe there should be a way to undo the effect of my, how-should-I-say-it, accepting that one thought." came back Touma. "Let's see, … there was something Komoe-sensei taught us in school; supposedly, tens of thousands of thoughts are forever passing through the human brain – some seem to come and go, while others seem to become entrenched in our mind, thereby remaining with us."

"Again, it's quite possible that this suggestion to live, even if you must forget this person, is one that had become, as you said, entrenched." responded Dragon-san. I submit that the mere fact that you are at present conversing about her would suggest that, even if you did so unconsciously, you have set in motion the supplanting of that previous suggestion with a new one, that you do recall all your memories of her. Perhaps in similar manner as you willed Imagine Breaker to act as it did a few moment's ago, you could make that supplanting permanent."

"In that case, probably the same working method that set Imagine Breaker in motion might work equally well, here." was Touma's next statement, before, willing himself to relax, and seeking to use no strenuous effort, he silently affirmed his retainment of any and all memories of Misaki; past, present and future. As he progressed with that affirmation, the suggestion of forgetting about Misaki gradually yet steadily diminished, until that voice in his head faded away.

 

Moments later, in the real world, Misaki started, almost dropping a bowl she had been handling – in fact, the bowl would likely have fallen to the kitchen floor, had not Oriana swiftly moved to catch it. Before Oriana, Ayu or Seria could even speak, they noticed after a few seconds of being seemingly frozen in place, Misaki trembled a bit, with her eyes watering, yet she said softly with a smile: "I felt it, … Touma remembers me again."

"In that case, go to him, Shokuhou-san. Please go along with her, Mitsuari-san." was Seria's response. For a second there was no action, then Misaki and Ayu departed almost immediately for the living room.

Oriana, with a rather bemused expression, asked: "Won't you join them also, Kumokawa-san?"

Seria paused for a moment, then replied with a smile of her own: "In a little while ... even if a part of me wanted to go first, perhaps it's because we've come to understand each other to a degree … out of the three of us, Shokuhou-san needs this the most right now."

 

Back in the the Invisible Thing's domain, more memory fragments gradually began to appear and congregate around Touma's form, even as he felt a stirring within him.

Dragon-san stated: "It seems that you have begun the process of, so-to-say, returning to your body."

Touma stated in response: "Will the fragments appearing now be re-absorbed into my mind, in time?"

The Invisible Thing responded: "As long as you do not reject them, I can think of no reason why they should not."

Touma spoke again, even as his form seemed to shimmer and pulsate in a seemingly random manner: "In that case, it was worth whatever I had to go through to reach this point, and to finally get answers about Imagine Breaker, and about you, Dragon-san."

The Invisible Thing's reply was: "I suspect this will not be the last time you and I meet or interact with each other, my host, and even if you do not leave your body as you did, by virtue of recognizing the bond between us, you and I can always converse mind-to-mind."

"That's good to know; I'll want to go over all that has been revealed thus far at some point, and probably other things as well." was Touma's parting words, even as his form finally faded away from the pocket universe.

After a few seconds, the Invisible Thing stated to itself: "Well, that was certainly interesting."

 

Touma's eyes gradually changed from the golden color back to their usual blue, even as he awakened from the trance-like state. Now back, so-to-say, in his world and body, he observed Index with Othinus and Sphynx, the Matriarch and Choi Shi (seemingly dozing while leaning against her great-aunt) before him.

The Matriarch spoke: "It seems that you have returned, Kamijou _xiānshēng_."

While rising to his feet, albeit a little wobbly (sitting cross-legged for a long period might do that, so he swiftly sat upon a nearby chair, while feeling returned to his legs) Touma replied: "Might I ask: how long was I ... out of touch with the world, Matriarch-san?"

The Matriarch replied: "Approximately six hours, since the procedure started."

Touma stated in response: "It probably felt much longer from my own viewpoint, but, suffice it to say: this Kamijou-san has gotten answers to some, if not all, vital questions, regarding Imagine Breaker, … and learned a few other things as well."

Othinus came in at that moment: "The Matriarch explained to us that at least one magical curse seemed to have been secretly cast upon you in the past, probably resulting in your misfortune since birth, up to a few minutes ago, when somehow, you manipulated Imagine Breaker to reach out and negate it or them." Index nodded to confirm what Othinus stated.

Touma replied: "That was also revealed to me, while I was … wherever I was. There's probably more to be said on that, but for now, ..." – directing his word to Matriarch and Choi Shi for the moment – "… this Kamijou-san extends his thanks for all that you've done, Matriarch-san, … and Choi Shi-san also. I'd formally bow, but right now, if I did, I'd probably topple over."

"Ai-yah," responded the Matriarch, with a smile, "we can no doubt deal with formalities later on, Kamijou _xiānshēng_. For now, as you can see, Choi Shi requires a bit of rest; the degree of qi manipulation performed was draining to her physical vitality. Granted, as she gets older, and with more experience, it will be less of a tiresome experience."

Index spoke up: "I'll help you get her to your room, Matriarch-san.", to which the Matriarch replied: "Thank you, Index." With that, Index departed with the Matriarch and Choi Shi.

Othinus then spoke: "I think for now I'll tag along with the nun and the Matriarch, human.", before jumping upon Sphynx's back, with the command: "Follow your mistress, you darn cat; that should be simple enough for you." Sphynx took off immediately, causing Othinus to shout if not scream: "Oi … not so fast, you crazy beast!". Touma couldn't help but smile at that, even if Othinus would not be amused at others laughing at her expense.

Moments after the others departed, Misaki and Ayu entered the living room. On their entry, Touma looked at them, and a smile appeared on his face, as he forced himself to stand up, saying: "It's good to see you again, Shokuhou-san, Mitsuari-san." Something in his tone of voice has them both realize what Misaki sensed was true.

With that, Ayu gently yet firmly pushed Misaki in front of her. Misaki slowly walked forward, in a wavering voice & tearing up, she spoke with a bit of hesitancy in her voice: "Are you really back, Touma-kun?"

In response, Touma gently embraced her, saying more to Misaki than anyone else: "I apologize if this sounds perverted, but … you've grown up some since I saw you a year ago, Misaki-san."

Misaki trembled for a moment in realization, before she returned the embrace, burying her face in his chest, thereby muffling to a degree her sobbing, as more than a year's worth of frustration and sorrow at her being separated from Touma was finally released. Touma said and did nothing for the moment, except to gently pat her head, while her sobs gradually subsided.

After a minute or maybe longer, Misaki raised her head, tears still falling, yet saying with a beaming smile: "Welcome back, … my prince."

"I don't recall how you ended up calling me that … might be an interesting story." remarked Touma, gently brushing away a tear streaking down her face. "We probably have a bit of catching up to do on that and possibly other things, don't we?"

Misaki replied, still smiling: "Naturally.", as they eventually separated themselves.

Then Touma proceeded to hug Ayu, with the words: "I remember what recently happened at Ground Geo, but more importantly, I remember you again, as well as what happened almost a year ago, Ayu-san … when I thought you were … gone, back then, I was devastated, especially as I failed to come to your aid that time."

Ayu likewise returned the hug, her own eyes watering, yet smiling just as brightly: "It's fine, Touma-san, … it wasn't your fault, any more than it was Shokuhou-san's, as I thought back then. More importantly, you did get there in time to save me the second time around. In fact, you saved both myself and Shokuhou-san."

"For now, I guess that's good enough." stated Touma.

A few seconds later, Ayu spoke again, even as the hug continued: "I assume the doctor had to re-set your arm after that, didn't he?"

Recalling his intervention that time, even with an already broken right arm, Touma chuckled as he replied: "Not a problem for the doctor … it was just a flesh wound."

Both Ayu and Misaki started at that comment, after which Ayu muttered, even as a grin broke out on her face: "Idiot.", while Misaki rolled her eyes, trying not to laugh.

Touma replied: "You're probably right about that."

At that point, Misaki chipped in: "Okay; as you can guess, someone's waiting for you in the kitchen. Please don't tell her you had 'just a flesh wound'; she definitely won't be amused by that sort of humor ability.", gently yet firmly moving Touma in that direction, aided by Ayu.

En route to the kitchen, they passed Oriana and Index, who were heading in the direction of the Matriarch's bedroom. Index had come to the kitchen to summon Oriana at the Matriarch's request.

"Index has probably told you a bit, Thomson-san." was Touma's comment.

To which Oriana replied: "No doubt we'll get all the details later … don't keep her waiting, Kamijou-kun."

Taking a deep breadth, then entering the kitchen, Touma observed Seria with her back to him, seemingly occupied; the food preparation was practically finished, though the kitchen still requires to be cleaned up.

Seemingly not paying much attention to the state of the kitchen, Touma remarked: "Looks like you all have been busy while I was being worked on, sempai."

Seria, for the moment hesitant to face him, replied: "Sorry about the mess, Kamijou-kun."

Touma, moving forward to gently embrace Seria from behind, replied in turn: "I trust it will be worth it in the end, … and a kitchen can always be cleaned up."

Seria, trembling for a moment, spoke again, in a seemingly hesitant tone: "So, ... how did it go?"

With a grin, Touma replied: "Short and simple; I remember it all … your 'guidebook' on hypnotism," … a little giggle from Misaki followed that … , "your being there when I thought Mitsuari-san has died back then … that and everything else; it's all come back, … Seria-san."

Turning around on the spot, it was now Seria's turn to return Touma's embrace, likewise burying her face in his chest, her body quivering as she cried, releasing her own pent-up feelings, even as Touma gently stroked her hair.

After eventually regaining her composure, Seria raised her head, again, smiling through the remnants of her tears, to declare: "If you ever lose your memories of me again … and I will include Mitsuari and Shokuhou on this if that ever happens … I'll bring them back, even if I must go full-on soap-opera mode on you."

Touma raised an eyebrow at that statement, then replied: "That sounds painful, … but, if that's what it takes to bring this Kamijou-san back, I guess you have my permission to do so. No doubt, you'll remind me at some future time I consented in front of witnesses."

Seria raised an eyebrow herself, as she asked: "Witnesses?"

To which, Touma simply replied: "Behind me."

Moving in close, Misaki and Ayu sang-said in almost perfect unison: _"Touuuu-maaaa, … you-made-her-cry."_

More might have been said, except for a growling noise coming from Touma's stomach. For a few seconds, no word was spoken, then one by one, they all broke into giggles, escalating into laughter.

It was Seria who finally spoke as the mood became light again: "Right – Mitsuari-san, I recall Tsuchimikado went outside when all this started; ask him in to help Touma get the living room back in order. Touma-kun, you're being treated this time, so please leave the kitchen; we'll bring it out when the living room's ready."

Touma departed with a smile: "Do Your Best, everyone."

 

Interlude

A certain Level 0 esper, high-school student, and resident of Academy City, noted for his blue hair and piercings, apart from … other things, was making his way out of a bookstore in the shopping district within District 7, a shopping bag in one arm, loaded with assorted manga and doujin publications. Scarcely had he taken no more than two steps out the door, when he suddenly froze in his tracks, almost dropping his bag. To anyone observing him closely, his eyes strangely appeared to be shut, yet he whipped his head to and fro, as if trying to see something above or around him.

Moments later, he reached for his smartphone. Selecting a number from his contacts list, he attempted a call, only to be told seconds later that the other party's unit was either switched off or out of the service area. Selecting a certain other number, he got the same result. For a few seconds, he seemed to tremble with some as-yet unidentified emotion, then he calmly put away his phone, muttering to himself:

_"Something just happened with that bastard, Kami-Yan; I just know it. And I can't reach either him or Tsuchimikado, although Komoe-sensei did tell me they're both outside of the City. Well, they've got to come back here some time, even from an extended winter break, and when they do ..."_ with that, Aogami Pierce strutted on his way, a mysterious and rather unpleasant aura surrounding him, which for the most part caused passers-by to steer clear of him.

End Interlude.

 

Upstairs in their allotted bedroom, Choi Shi has been tucked into bed. Oriana had returned to the kitchen, leaving Index & Othinus with the Matriarch.

"I thank you both for your help." said the Matriarch.

Index replied: "It's like Touma said; it's we who should be thanking you, Matriarch-san. At least now Touma's strange streak of misfortune has probably been solved, and his memories are his once more."

"How about your own memories, nun?" inquired Othinus, "If I recall correctly, you indicated that the Anglican Church was in the habit of periodically erasing your memories under a false pretense, even if those who did it had been duped into doing so?"

Index pondered for a moment or two, then responded: "I'm really not sure if Touma's memory issue is similar or the same as mine. We could explore that one day, maybe, but not right now. Perhaps after the current situation between Science and Magic has been resolved, I'll consider it."

Now it was the Matriarch who interjected: "And what of you, former Magic God … if I'm right, you sensed a fraction of the power that was previously sealed by Imagine Breaker, did you not?"

Othinus started, then after a few seconds, she replied: "Very sharp of you, Matriarch."

"Perhaps not so much sharp as, in some form or fashion, I have seen this happen in the past." the Matriarch continued. "In addition, did you per chance consider for even a moment, the possibility that said power could restore you to, so-to-say, normal size; perhaps even also restoring your magic god powers, in part or even in full?" Index's eyes opened wide at that revelation.

After pausing for a moment, Othinus then answered with a nod: "Like I said, very sharp of you. To be up front, I sensed something far different and even greater than when I first encountered that human … and yes, for a moment I considered exactly what you said. However, even without the threat of war between Magic and Science present, if such a thing were to take place now, that human would once more put himself in the line of fire to protect me from those on both Sides who are still afraid of me. Because I understand him, I'll hold off on such a thing. Like Index said: perhaps one day in the future, I'll consider it. Now, before we re-join the others, I have something to ask of you, Matriarch."

The Matriarch responded: "Please speak freely, Othinus."

Othinus continued: "Granted even on my own path of development to become a Magic God, as I did in the past, I might have picked up a few things here and there, but would I be right in inferring that the 'divine wind' mentioned in your Society's name is an allegorical or metaphorical representation of some mysterious power, which manifests itself in this world from time to time?"

The Matriarch paused, then replied: "Now it is I who must comment on your sharpness, former Magic God. As I mentioned before, a dragon in our religious system more often than not represents one or more of the so-called natural forces of nature. It may be premature to conclude that the so-called Invisible Thing previously sealed by Imagine Breaker is the very same power that we refer to as a divine wind, but up to this moment, and based on what we who are more in tune with things magical might sense, the possibility is there. To be more precise, the power does not manifest itself on its own, but rather a vessel comes into existence which is, so-to-say, imbued with the power. The vessel may be an inanimate object, such as a so-called divine or magical weapon mentioned in myths and legends; in some instances, the vessel is a life-form; be it a plant, an animal, or a human being."

Othinus spoke again: "Might I inquire; if or when the power you refer to as the divine wind manifests in this world, what does your Society do at that point?"

To that, the Matriarch replied: "Put simply; we observe the manifestation and application of the power, particularly if it takes place via a human being. So long as any actions regarding their use of the power is deemed to pose no threat to the world, then the vessel is left alone, or if it be a living being, it is permitted to live out their life-span, without any involvement or intervention on our part, If it is determined that there is a definite threat to the world, and if no other option is available, then the way to negate that threat is to destroy the vessel, before that point of no return is reached. If the vessel is destroyed, the power seems to simply dissipate until such time as it reappears in this world."

Silence reigned in the room for a few moments as the potential implications ran through both Othinus's and Index's minds, although no spoken word passed for a while. Finally, Index voiced a query of her own: "Has such a scenario ever transpired in the past, Matriarch-san, where the vessel you refer to was a person, and it was deemed necessary to kill the person?"

The Matriarch replied with a nod: "Yes it has, Index … in fact, I was present when the last known occurrence took place."

Index and Othinus started at that revelation, but said nothing for the moment, as Matriarch continued: "In terms of the passage of time in this world, I am actually close to two hundred years old. Naturally, everyone else I grew up with has passed away by now; some have lived over one hundred years, others less. Notwithstanding, I was present when someone in this world could draw upon the power that Shén Fēng refers to as the divine wind … someone who was very dear to me. Unfortunately, that person, although they had very noble intentions, even before discovering their ability to tap into and wield the power, became corrupted. To make an otherwise long story short, after all attempts of reasoning had failed, and a critical point was approaching where the use of the power, if permitted to continue, would have set nature and the world on a path, where ultimate destruction would have engulfed all that lives," … the Matriarch paused, as if the recall of those events seemed to weigh heavily upon her heart … "I took on the responsibility to kill that person, and went through with it."

"Not to be overly callous about it, Matriarch." responded Othinus, "but those of us from the Magic Side know well enough that not everyone who comes into possession of power can wield it safely enough, without posing a threat to others, whether directly or indirectly. Looking back on my own past life, it is arguable that my own becoming a Magic God might have, on some level, even corrupted me, and the same could be said for even the other Magic Gods."

Index spoke cautiously: "Might we know, Matriarch-san, what this revelation might have to do with Touma?"

The Matriarch replied without skipping a beat: "As I mentioned before, Index, while it is premature to assume anything definite, the possibility exists that the Invisible Thing associated with Kamijou _xiānshēng_ is another form of what we refer to as the divine wind. If that is indeed so, then I would be derelict in my own duty, not to caution that the potential for him one day becoming corrupted as a result of the power that seems to have awakened in him is likewise present."

"No," spoke Index softly, yet a sense of certainty can be felt in her tone. "Touma would never go down such a path."

"The Matriarch has a valid point, Index." interjected Othinus, "Even I have to admit it; if you consider the general misfortunate trend of that human's life up to now, and even if he has a greater ability than others to either suppress it or ignore it, he may yet have within him feelings of resentment, anger and frustration over much of what has happened to him. With or without Imagine Breaker, he is still human, and prone to such feelings and emotions, as are you, the Matriarch, even the other Magic Gods, myself included. If said feelings are present, the possibility exists that they could one day push him in the direction of being corrupted."

"If so, then it is necessary to find a way to ensure he stays away from heading in that direction, Othinus." was Index's simple and direct comeback.

Turning to the Matriarch, Index asked: "I don't mean to keep stirring up what is probably an unpleasant memory for you, Matriarch-san, but, judging from your past experience, is there anything you can tell us that will help keep Touma from going the same way as your precious person."

After a pause, the Matriarch responded: "I can think of two things, Index. One: if he has not done so, Kamijou _xiānshēng_ should one day face up to those perhaps suppressed negative feelings and emotions, and in one way or another deal with or release them. The other: I'd like to believe that the pieces are already in place for it ... he should know, and, if necessary be reminded as often as necessary, that he has people in his life who genuinely care about him and for him, people that he can turn to and share his concerns, his burdens, even his fears and frustrations. It is a relatively simple thing, yet I have seen it be ignored, to the ultimate detriment of the person or persons who perhaps need it most. Shén Fēng will not ignore or disregard their sworn duty to be on the lookout for any possible danger that Kamijou _xiānshēng_ might bring to the world, if he ever traverses the wrong path, as I mentioned before. However, if those two things are properly set in place for him, then I can assure you he need have no fear of our Society."

"Understood." declared the holder of the 103,000 grimoires, "No matter what happens, consider it my promise to you, Matriarch … Othinus and I will keep Touma walking in the light, all the days of his life."

"And in all likelihood, we'll include Kumokawa-san and the others, to ensure that it gets done." interjected the former Magic God. "Perhaps for the moment, Index and I will disclose what we discussed to them at some opportune moment … he can be filled in on it at a later date; it's best that those who would stand by him or beside him be prepared first."

 

Dinner that evening was quite a satisfactory affair; even Index approved of the culinary efforts of Ayu, Seria and Misaki, as did Touma. Oriana quietly noted the sighs of relief (and slight blushes) from the ladies on being complimented by Touma for their hard work. Naturally, the question arose as to what might happen next; both in the short-term and the long-term.

To which, Touma declared: "Since I'm only this generation's bearer of the Imagine Breaker, I should not keep what I've learned solely to myself. At same time, I do recognize that it's probably a bad idea to reveal it to any & everyone."

"Well said there, Kami-Yan." replied Tsuchimikado, "just from the standpoint of present events, I personally would suggest holding on sharing it with our associates in England for the moment; particularly with respect to what the Archbishop might do with such knowledge, _nya_."

Touma in turn replied: "Perhaps for the moment, what I've learned concerning Imagine Breaker, the first individual or group I'll trust with that knowledge would be yourself and your Society, Matriarch-san.", directing his statement to the Matriarch. "Likewise, I feel that somehow I should also get this over to Ollerus-san. It's probably the least I can do for their assistance."

In her own response, the Matriarch stated: "You have my word, Kamijou _xiānshēng_ , such knowledge will be kept secure. In turn, I have a request of my own for you and your companions."

"Please tell us, Matriarch-san." inquired Seria.

"In the event that war does break out between Science and Magic," continued the Matriarch, "and in the event that Shén Fēng does not survive the conflict, I request that, once knowledge of Imagine Breaker is shared with us, and we incorporate it into the 'digitized' totality of the Society's knowledge, I wish a copy of said collection of our knowledge to be lodged with you for preservation."

"Consider it done, Matriarch-san." replied Seria, while the others nodded in agreement. It was subsequently agreed that they will work on that particular task come the next day.

 

Early in the following morning, Tsuchimikado was outside the house, apparently reading a message on his phone. Touma came out, looking for him.

"Oi, Tsuchimikado." called Touma, "Just to let you know, after breakfast, we'll work on passing over info on Imagine Breaker, as we discussed last night."

Putting aside the phone, Tsuchimikado replied: "Sounds like a plan, Kami-Yan … just to advise, checks suggests things for now seem stable enough back in Academy City, _nya_ ; but, to be safe, I've already arranged to hop over to England for a while, after checking on Maika." For a moment, Touma recalled what he knew about Tsuchimikado being an agent working for numerous organizations, but held his peace for the while. Tsuchimikado continued: "For now, what might Kami-Yan's plans be?"

"Notwithstanding the possibility of war, as Ollerus-san suggested," responded Touma, "and even though I still wish to protect any & every person important to me, I have a chance to seriously determine what my future might or will be, whether in Academy City or outside of it, and this Kamijou-san intends to make the most of it."

"BZZZTT – wrong answer, Kami-Yan." fired back Tsuchimikado, causing Touma to raise an eyebrow. With a smirk, and wrapping one arm around Touma's shoulder, Motoharu continued: "What more important than that is what's going to happen between yourself and our School's Beauty-Sempai, to say nothing of your two other potential girlfriends from Tokiwadai … come to think about it, perhaps now's the time for the Kami-Yan Harem to truly be established, _nya_ "

"That's the sort of behavior that often got you and Aogami stomped, spindled and mutilated by Fukiyose, and myself also by getting embroiled in your shenanigans." responded Touma. "Frankly, I've had my fill of that. I'm not going to be a high school student forever, and, whatever my own feelings may be on that matter, working out my future properly comes first, and, while it won't be "all work and no play", some things will have to wait."

"Heh-heh, … such a disciplined outlook is to be expected of Kami-Yan." replied Tsuchimikado with a chuckle.

"It almost makes me wonder whether it was my misfortune that got me wrapped up in your and Aogami's antics." was Touma's response. "I'm not saying the Delta Force should be disbanded, but there comes a time when even high school boys have to grow up … although I have trouble seeing that happen to Aogami right now."

The conversation might have continued, except for Index having come outside, calling them both to come have breakfast. With that, both Touma and Tsuchimikado re-entered the house.

 

After breakfast, all were assembled round the living room table. Ayu and Choi Shi have their tablets powered up and ready to use.

"Just to recap what was discussed," commented Seria, "Touma-kun can seemingly tone down Imagine Breaker's presence, so that Shokuhou-san can copy and transfer the information that Touma gained while he was out of his body, to both Mitsuari-san and Choi Shi-san, who will then record it."

Touma replied: "That might be the best way to ensure that everything I picked up gets copied without missing anything."

"Human, there is still the danger of the residual memories in your mind from the Phases." interjected Othinus. "Only you and I recall what those are, and those are potentially as devastating as, if not more than even the information in Index's grimoires."

"I believe I have a way to deal with that, Othi-chan, with a little help." responded Touma.

As all assembled watch, Touma extended his right hand, mentally willing Imagine Breaker's seal over the Invisible Thing to be released. Something akin to a collection of flashing lights gradually materialized above Touma's right hand, visible to all present. Once more Othinus felt that unnatural sensation from before. Then a voice Touma recognized as that of Dragon-san rang out in everyone's mind: "One moment, please."

The lights above Touma's hand suddenly flashed and disappeared. Moments later, Othinus felt a tap on her shoulder, even as she stood on the table close to Index. Swiftly she turns around, to come face-to-face with the Invisible Thing, in its 'chinese-style' dragon form, yet shrunk down to her proportionate size. Apparently, the Invisible Thing had materialized behind Othinus, without her or anyone else being the wiser

Within the next second, the Invisible Thing uttered a single word: **"Boo."**

Othinus froze in place for a moment, then her eyes rolled upwards in her head as she collapsed in a faint. With a sharp exclamation: "Eep!", Index had reached out to break Othinus's fall to the table with one hand. The Matriarch observed what transpired with a somewhat bemused expression, while everyone else save Touma displayed varying degrees of shock or awe. Finally, Dragon-san disappeared and re-materialized again in the center of the table before them all.

Touma, rubbing his temples, asked: "Was that really necessary, Dragon-san?"

In response, the Invisible Thing replied: "Probably not; but perhaps it could be considered sufficient payback for what happened at our first encounter. I'm quite prepared to leave it at that."

After about a minute or so, Othinus gradually regained consciousness, then momentarily flailed around wildly while in Index's hand as she remembered what just happened.

The Invisible Thing spoke again, although the question was particularly directed to Othinus; "Shall we get along from now on, former Magic God?"

Othinus squeaked: "Y-Yes.", even as the others assembled did their best not to break out into laughter. Index glanced for a moment at the Matriarch, who nodded, as if to confirm what was discussed previously.

"Now that that's done, I need your help on a particular task, Dragon-san." spoke Touma, then mentally dictated to the Invisible Thing to block Misaki from picking up on any of the memories in his mind connected to the Phases. Index, Othinus, the Matriarch and Choi-Shi sensed something in the air around Touma for a few seconds.

After which, the Invisible Thing disappeared back into its pocket universe, even as Touma declared: "I'm ready when you are, Shokuhou-san."

Nodding, Misaki selected the appropriate remote from her collection, pointed it at Touma, then directed it at Ayu and Choi Shi. Within a few seconds, both began entering the information copied onto their devices. After roughly ten minutes, both girls looked up from their typing as if to say, it is done.

Choi-Shi then spoke to her great-aunt, who then spoke to the others: "The information has been sent to our headquarters. As I indicated, once it is all compiled with the other materials, we will arrange to send it to you. If you like, Kamijou _xiānshēng_ , we shall also arrange to send a copy of the specific information on Imagine Breaker to Ollerus."

"That would be greatly appreciated, Matriarch-san.", responded Touma. "We ourselves will notify Ollerus-san to expect to hear from you on that."

With that, and turning to everyone assembled, after a few seconds, Touma declared: "I suppose we could say, Mission Accomplished."

"Indeed we can, Touma-kun." responded Seria with a broad grin, "and in that case, there's only one thing to do ... a celebratory feast."

"I approve that suggestion, Seria-san!" exclaimed Index with a fist raised in the air, evoking chuckles from all assembled.

"And a Sempai's orders are ..." began Touma.

"… Absolute!" chimed in Ayu and Misaki.

"Right … let's get to it." stated Touma, as he proceeded to the kitchen.


	10. Some Things Completely Unexpected

The following day, after breakfast (effectively finishing off most if not all of the food left from the celebratory feast of the previous evening), the respective parties from both Academy City and Shén Fēng packed up their belongings, as well as put the Kamijou Family Residence back in order (especially the clean-up of the kitchen), prior to boarding the coach for the return trip to Academy City.

As expected of his propensity to cause confusion, Tsuchimikado said something which set some persons' emotions to run high: "The thought just came to me, _nya_ ... even though Kami-Yan had turned off the security system, thereby gaining entry to the premises, there is the possibility that there might have been one or more hidden cameras either in the house or outside, with anyone's guess what might have been captured if such existed."

This time around, Touma was the voice of reason and assurance, after almost taking a swing at Motoharu: "Firstly, I'm certain no-one did anything potentially embarrassing or incriminating. Secondly, if hidden cameras are indeed present, any attempt to access or interfere with them would likely be picked up, either by the security company who installed them, or perhaps even by my parents, wherever they are right now; I'm aware technology of today can do that. Thirdly, if I get contacted by my parents regarding some hidden footage, I'll simply meet with them on the matter; whether they come to Academy City, or I go to meet them."

"Correction, Touma-kun." interjected Misaki, "If such a thing should happen, we'll meet them."

"Emphasis on we." declared Ayu and Seria, making it clear that, if such a thing were to happen, they are not to be left out.

"Perhaps you should keep some space reserved in your itinerary, Thomson-san, in case you have to act the role of chauffeur for such a thing, _nya_." said Tsuchimikado in a low voice to Oriana.

"I'll do my best … that should be fun." replied Oriana, again in a low voice.

 

During the trip back, Touma and Tsuchimikado once again alternated "riding shot-gun" with Oriana, as before, but this time, they made use of an intercom in the driver's booth, so that they can all join in on the discussion. It was decided that three topics would be discussed as far as possible during the return trip; in no specific order: (1) any ideas on what to do against the Archtype Controller (revealed during the initial run to Kanagawa) in case it is ever brought into action upon any or all of them, (2) more insight is needed on just what is Aleister Crowley's plan with regard to eradicating Magic, and just how and where does Academy City and/or its Esper population fit into it, and (3) now that he has attained a level of control over Imagine Breaker, how might this affect Touma's present or even future status as an esper.

"I assume for the moment we still know not much else about this Archtype Controller, except for what Tsuchimikado revealed to us on our outbound trip." stated Touma.

"True," replied Misaki, "However, until more is known about its technical ability, it is unlikely that we can come up with a way or means of opposing or countering it, at least directly."

"Perhaps then, if a direct approach is not possible, maybe there is a way that we can establish … I can think of no other way to define it … some sort of back-up of a person's mind, prior to their being subjected to this device." was stated by Ayu. "If such a backup copy existed, maybe Shokuhou-san, myself, or perhaps even another telepath can restore an affected person to their 'default' state."

"There may be something in what you just disclosed, Mitsuari-san." replied Misaki. "First possibility that comes to my mind is whether the City's Data Banks, which contains cumulative data on every active student, inclusive of their System Scans, might contain a record of each person's 'mental map', which is the nearest thing that might constitute such a 'backup'. It should be theoretically possible that, if this mental map was available, it may be possible for me to overwrite the mind of an affected person with it. However, theory is one thing … it's not yet certain whether it can be practically done."

"I don't mean to strike the idea out altogether," came in Seria, "but even if turns out that Mitsuari-san's suggestion could actually work, there is still the matter of considering a student population of approximately 1.6 million persons, not yet counting others residing and/or working in the City. Accessibility to the Bank would also be a major obstacle to its use; even with my status as a Board Director's adviser, I cannot access the level of the Bank easily … at least not through conventional channels. For what we may be up against, if I've got to find a way in, I'll do it."

"Um," came in Index at that point with her hand raised, "Much of this may be outside of my knowledge of Magic, but I recall something that's connected with my memory issue when Touma and I first met. When I was being subjected to memory erasures, my guardians then were told that my brain was reaching a point of being overloaded with information, and that if my memory was not erased at certain periods, I would die … we learned later that was a false statement. If I recall right, Touma and I learned from Komoe-sensei that the human brain can store a virtually unlimited amount of information. Assuming Seria-san or anyone else could access this Data Bank at least once, and these 'mental maps' you speak of can be obtained, perhaps one or more persons can be implanted with these mental maps, and then, Misaki-san or Ayu-san could retrieve any map required as necessary."

"That's an interesting possibility, Index." replied Othinus, "Of course it does carry a risk, that, should anything happen to the person or persons storing said information, it may be lost."

"If I may, everyone." interjected the Matriarch, "I refrained from commenting for a while until I understood more of what may be faced regarding this Archtype Controller, but I feel I can mention at this point, that within our Society's esoteric arts, there is a technique, where, by properly manipulating various pressure points of the body, it is possible to alter the flow of qi through the body … particularly through the brain ..., so that a person can become more resistant, if not immune to mental or psychic influence from some external source. It is perhaps not an absolute solution, but, based on what you've disclosed, it might count for something."

"At this point, it sounds like our best practical option, Matriarch-san." responded Misaki. "If time does not permit you to perform this technique to all of us before we arrive back in Academy City, might I suggest this ability be taught to Index-san, who, we understand, has a perfect memory? Thereby, she will know how to apply it to us."

"Sounds like a plan." was Seria's reply. "We presume you're up to it, Index-san."

"Mmm." replied Index, with a thumbs-up.

"Thomson-san, how much time do you estimate before we arrive back at Academy City?" asked Seria over the intercom.

"At present, probably within a maximum of two hours, once nothing unforseen comes up, Kumokawa-san." was Oriana's reply.

"That should be enough time." commented the Matriarch. "If so, perhaps we should begin right away, Index." With that, Index, the Matriarch and Choi-Shi moved to one side as discussions continued.

 

"Well, the matter of the Archtype Controller could be considered as closed for the moment, so we could divert our attention to figuring out just how does the General Superintendent plan to eradicate Magic, _nya_." was Tsuchimikado's comment.

"Perhaps a concise recap of what we know to date will help point us towards getting the answers to other things." stated Seria. "On the surface, Academy City is a place dedicated to study and research of so-called supernatural abilities; also where those accepted therein as students, may develop what we know as esper abilities. For the moment and without referring to the Parameter List, espers are remunerated financially in proportion as their level of esper ability is raised, while simultaneously, the higher their level, the more they are subjected to tests and research. Notwithstanding all that, much of what we've discovered over the last week or so suggests that Academy City and its creation of Espers is all merely a part of some plan of the City's General Superintendent to one day eliminate Magic from the world, for reasons at this time only known to him."

Pausing for a moment, Seria continued: "The Parameter List indicates according to the data current at the time, the potential for each aspiring esper as to how far their development can go, as well as ... so-to-say ... the cost-versus-gain assessment which generally determines whether any esper might be raised above their present level. That applies to the 'official' procedures being followed. Thus, the only way an esper can raise his or her level with disregard for the Parameter List is if either some previously-unknown factor comes into play, or if one or more scientists or researchers engage in activities not officially sanctioned by the Power Curriculum Program. Those who by reputation are most likely to do something like that are the Kiharas, but there may possibly be others also ... such is the extent of Academy City's Dark Side."

Tsuchimikado chimed in again: "To be frank, I can't claim any definite idea as to how the eradication of Magic can or will get done, but there are a few things I've been able to uncover thus far that might shed a clue."

"And pray tell what might those be, Tsuchimikado?" inquired Seria.

"Some of you just might recall a particular incident which took place in September of this year." replied Motoharu, "The official statements issued on it stated that an unknown foreign power attempted to invade Academy City, and, to be honest, the reports were partially right; only they did not reveal the entirety of the matter … in all likelihood, the restriction on revealing the full story likely came from Crowley himself, _nya_."

"And the 'full story', Tsuchimikado-san, … what might it be?" asked Ayu.

"The Invasion was orchestrated by a special group affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church." replied Tsuchimikado, "As Kami-Yan can probably recall, he encountered the members of that group, one-by-one, over the last four to five months up to now."

"Based on that, you're no doubt referring to those who call themselves God's Right Seat, aren't you?" responded Touma.

"Good call, Kami-Yan." came back Motoharu, "It just so happened what while you were fending off the assault from the one called Vento of the Front, I was in pursuit of her accomplices who accompanied her from the Roman Catholic Church. It did require some extensive investigation once things were eventually restored to order, but it seemed that for a while during the Invasion, a massive spike was detected in the activity of AIM fields throughout the city, _nya_. During that period where AIM was at this increased level, virtually all of Vento's group who came with her became somehow incapacitated."

"I recall when the City broadcast an alert for all citizens to remain indoors during the stated Invasion." remarked Seria, "Yet I happened to come across some brief video footage likely taken during that time period, showing a few moments of a strangely-dressed woman staggering and coughing blood. Assuming she was this Vento of the Front you're speaking of, Tsuchimikado, it seemed as if she was also affected to some degree by the increased levels of AIM."

"Sharp as ever, sempai." was Motoharu's reply. "To make a long story short, it would seem that, just as the bodies of persons who have been through the City's Program for developing esper abilities are incompatible with the requirements to perform magic … at least, so far as we know, magic requiring the manipulation of mana ..., some sort of situation had been brought into play back then, where magic users who attempt to use those powers in the presence of this increased level of AIM are affected negatively by it, _nya_. I should note that what might be considered the normal levels of AIM activity do not affect me, or any magic user. However, if I had attempted to use magic at that moment, I would have been struck down also."

"Barring any specialized knowledge on the working of AIM," remarked Misaki, "what you've revealed to us, Tsuchimikado-san, makes sense, in that if such an AIM field of sufficient intensity could be established and maintained, any magic user would be likely unable to use magic, or even struck down, as you indicated. The question naturally arises; assuming the General Superintendent ever does succeed in creating and maintaining that specific level of AIM; will he restrict its influence only to Academy City, or will he seek to influence a wider area, perhaps even the entire globe?"

"Just speaking for myself regarding that occurrence," Touma recounted, "As I recall, Index was not affected by this increased AIM activity, possibly because, as I understand it, she has no mana of her own, except for, as Othi-chan mentioned, the grimoires in her mind. For my part, I suppose that, especially as I've discovered Imagine Breaker is more rooted in magic than science, because it affects all types of supernatural phenomena, it either disrupted the increased AIM in my vicinity, or negated whatever effects that struck at Vento and her allies. The other possibly significant thing I recall from Vento's Invasion is that she announced her primary targets to be myself, Index and a friend of ours … Kazakiri Hyouka-san. We could cover the details in full another time, perhaps, but basically, Kazakiri is … how should I put it … she explained that she was formed out of the aggregation of all AIM Fields within Academy City. Nonetheless, whatever her origins, and even if she's technically not a human being, Index regards Kazakiri as her friend, as do I."

"There was something in the initial reports following that Invasion, although it has been suppressed before any official statements were issued to the public," remarked Seria, "making mention of the sighting of a so-called 'artificial angel'. Might that be connected in some way to any aspect of the Invasion?"

"Indeed it is, _nya_." was Tsuchimikado's response. "Again, it took a while for me to uncover what I do know about it, but briefly, something was done to this Kazakiri Hyouka, to force her to transform into what can best be described as the so-called 'artificial angel'. It was upon her transformation that AIM activity went off the charts, so-to-speak. Per chance, Kami-Yan, do you or Index-san have any way of communicating with or contacting this Kazakiri … quite possible, she may have something to add to all of this."

"Sorry, … so far, Kazakiri comes and goes at seemingly random intervals." replied Touma. "All I can promise is that, if ever she materializes again in this world, Index and I will ask her about what took place. From what I recall, she was bothered, almost traumatized by what happened during her transformation, but I reassured her; Index and I still consider her a friend, so I trust that, if we ask her about the subject, she will respond."

 

"In like manner, that subject seems to have gone as far as it can, for the moment, so we can turn our attention to what happens to Touma and his status now, even if it's "on paper" as an esper." commented Misaki.

"My own feeling on that," replied Touma, "is that, now that I have at least some control over Imagine Breaker, and can access the power of the Invisible Thing … although a part of me feels I should not become dependent on it … , right now, I'll settle for learning or figuring out all there is about Imagine Breaker." Index, Othinus and the Matriarch exchanged a glance between each other, as Touma made that statement.

"Just a reminder, Touma-san." remarked Ayu, "Since all indications are that Imagine Breaker cannot be analyzed or quantified even by the technology of Academy City, unless I suspect the Board of Directors, or even the General Superintendent intervenes in some way, you would likely still be classed as a Level 0, no matter how much you, or for that matter, we, might discover what Imagine Breaker is capable of."

"Truth be told, Mitsuari-san; I can live with that." replied Touma. "On the one hand, and speaking for myself, my Esper Level ranking doesn't concern me much … either that, or I've simply resigned myself to that after so long. If I do have a concern in that area, it's what my future might be, even if I press on through high school, college, or more. Part of the issue is, as I believe we're gradually discovering, is that being a Level 0 in a educational system, whose primary purpose is to develop esper abilities might be a backward step rather than a forward one. And it probably applies equally, if not similarly, to the countless numbers of the City's students who seem to be stuck at Level 0, or for that matter at whatever Level they may have attained to date, according to what you all have uncovered regarding the Parameter List."

All eyes turned for the moment to Seria, who took over from that point: "Although a lot of it is 'officially' restricted, even from myself, this is what I have been able to learn. Out of the roughly 2.6 million inhabitants of Academy City, and, after discounting the current student population, that still leaves around 1 million persons; many of whom may possibly have been inducted into the Power Curriculum Program, since the City's establishment 20 or so years ago. Assuming the Parameter List has been in existence for even close to that length of time, if none of those were chosen to have their esper level raised beyond a certain point, then at the end of their particular schooling journey, and dependent on what qualifications they attained in their standard education not directly related to the Program, if they chose to remain in the City, they probably entered the working world in a capacity which match said qualifications ... whether factory or manual labour, or in any sort of office, business, engineering, or even medical position. It's not altogether inconceivable that some might have even joined the law enforcement bodies … Judgement and Anti-Skill … or even sought employment in one of the private companies allowed to operate in the City. And that only accounts for those who did not opt to leave Academy City for good. It does make sense to assume that there are in the City hundreds of thousands who, by virtue of the dictates of the Parameter List above all else, have probably given up on any hopes of developing esper abilities beyond whatever Level they've attained, but, having gone through the Program, are merely there emitting AIM. It's also possible that what Tsuchimikado described earlier as happening during the incident of Academy City's Invasion may yet be connected to that."

"By chance, Kumokawa-san, are there any scientists or researchers who might be considered experts on the subject of AIM, from whom we might be able to gain more than what we have now" asked Misaki.

"No-one comes to mind right now, Shokuhou-san," responded Seria, "but it may be worth looking into that, when we're back in the City."

 

In this way, and while not arriving at any definite conclusions, yet agreeing that they have some further investigating to do, the Kamijou and Shén Fēng groups eventually arrived back in Academy City. Entry was without any particular incident, after which they proceed to the airport. After offloading and returning the coach to its leasing agent, the group proceeded up to the entry point of the Departure Lounge.

"It was certainly enlightening to meet you all, especially yourself, Kamijou _xiānshēng_. Perhaps we can meet again under less troublesome circumstances." stated the Matriarch.

"If such an opportunity ever comes, rest assured we'll make use of it, Matriarch-san." was Touma's reply, backed up by a formal bow, as he promised to do a day earlier, with the others from his group joining in.

"Consider this an instruction from your _onee-san_ , Kamijou-kun ..." chimed in Oriana, "… you take good care of everyone."

"Count on it, Thomson-san." replied Touma.

Once the Matriarch, Choi Shi and Oriana had disappeared through the entry to the Departure Lounge, Tsuchimikado announced his own departure: "Well, for reasons already disclosed, I'll be away and 'out of touch' for a while. I've already checked that Maika is accounted for (only he probably knew how that took place), so, when it's safe enough to return, I'll be back."

"And with any luck, it probably won't reflect badly on your own attendance record.", remarked Touma.

"Perhaps one day, I'll share my secret with you, Kami-Yan." retorted Motoharu.

"You're oft-times a royal pain to deal with, Tsuchimikado," was Seria's own comment, "but you're still my underclassman, as well as Touma's neighbor and friend. I won't make any definite guarantee just yet, but I'll see what I can do to determine if or when it may be safe for you to return … just refrain from moves like what you did outside of the City, for which I probably won't be able to assist you."

"Point taken, sempai … point taken." came back Tsuchimikado, "I may get over to merry old England, so I may run into 'Nee-chin', unless she's out of the country. Any message for her, Kami-Yan?"

"Aside from my regards … and nothing else without my prior knowledge … just mention that, if this business between Science and Magic ever gets resolved, at some point, Index and I will want to talk to both her and Stiyl, regarding what happened six or so months ago … either or both of them should know to what I refer." stated Touma.

After Tsuchimikado eventually disappeared into the Departure Lounge, a few questions were raised.

"Who might this 'Nee-chin' be, Touma-san?" asked Ayu, as they proceed to the exit.

"That seems to be Tsuchimikado's 'nickname' of sorts to one Kanzaki Kaori-san; another operative of the Church of England, and one of Index's guardians up to roughly six months, ago." was Touma's reply. "I understand she's actually Japanese by birth, and she's originally from Japan."

"Let's just say, Mitsuari-san." chipped in a smirking Othinus, "if or when you ever meet Kanzaki, who I recall from this human's and my time in Denmark, you just might have a similar first impression as when you first met Oriana Thomson."

"You don't say, Othinus-san?" remarked Misaki, as together with Ayu and Seria, she trained her eyes upon Touma.

"I guess some things are not connected to my original misfortune, after all." sighed Touma. "Seriously, there is some truth in what Othi-chan said, but this Kamijou-san, even when misfortune was on his shoulders, did not survive to this day by doing inappropriate things, especially to a person who not only has superhuman strength, speed and agility, but also carries with her a very long sword, and from what I've witnessed, she can do much damage with it, even if it's still sheathed."

 

Any further conversation on that subject was interrupted, by the group noticing that three persons seemed to be approaching them with definite purpose, as they got closer to the airport exit. Touma recognized the young man approaching them, wearing a uniform from supposedly a high school different from his own, and sporting a face not actually his own … the Aztec magic-user bearing the name of Unabara Mitsuki. Alongside him was a young woman, wearing a crop top, pleated skirt and a jacket draped over her shoulders in the manner of a cape; Touma did not know her identity, but Seria recognized her as the Level 4-ranked teleporting esper, Musujime Awaki. Behind them, almost as if not with them, was a tall, lanky youth, bearing white hair, and walking with a strange-looking cane. His identity was of course not unknown to Touma, Seria or Misaki … the Number One Level 5 esper known only as Accelerator.

"It's that guy from the Underground Shopping District." exclaimed Index, on seeing Accelerator once again. Heads turned in surprise at her declaration.

Even Accelerator did a bit of a double-take, before speaking himself. "I presume she's with you, hero?", he asked.

To which, Touma replied with a nod: "She is."

"I suppose it's proper that I say to you, and by extension, your companions: welcome back to Academy City, Kamijou Touma-san." Unabara spoke in a smooth tone, which would likely conceal his real nature which few outside of the City's Dark Side ever encountered.

"Thanks for that, I suppose." replied Touma, in a calm tone, "By the way, are you still calling yourself Unabara Mitsuki, or is there another name by which you are known."

"It's fine to continue calling me that, if you wish." responded Unabara with a smirk, "or if you prefer, you may call me by my real name … Etzali."

"For reasons we both know, 'Etzali' works fine with me." Touma responded. "That being said, Etzali-san, I feel that this is not a casual or social encounter right now … am I right?"

"Very astute of you, Kamijou-san.", came back Etzali. "Oh … I believe you've encountered Musujime Awaki-san before, even if you weren't formally introduced."

"It's true no formal introductions took place that time." was Touma's response, nodding to Awaki, who nodded back in turn. "As for Accelerator, we've met before, as I believe you already know. Do my companions need introduction, or is that unnecessary at this time?"

"That could take place another time, perhaps." responded Etzali, nodding briefly to the others with Touma, "but I should get straight to the point of our seeking you out. Simply put, we three have been … contacted by certain persons, looking for a mutual acquaintance … Tsuchimikado Motoharu. He was last seen in your company as you left on your excursion three days ago … is my information correct, Kamijou-san?"

"Your info is correct, Etzali-san." replied Touma. "What you may not know is that Tsuchimikado went his own way upon our return today. He mentioned that he would be away from the City for a while, and gave us no indication of when he'd be back."

For a few seconds, even though no further words were exchanged, some tension seemed to be slowly building, until the Number One Level Five stepped into the conversation.

"There's nothing more to be got from the hero, Unabara." drawled Accelerator is a seemingly bored tone of voice. "If that's all that Tsuchimikado told them, they don't know anything else. Also, we know that blond bastard enough to figure he could have easily given them a false trail, in case anyone asked them of his whereabouts."

Etzali shrugged his shoulders as if to signify his acceptance of Accelerator's suggestion.

"Might I ask whether there is perhaps anything else you wish from me, or from us, before we return to District 7?" inquired Touma.

"Actually, there is, Kamijou-san." spoke Awaki. "I've received a message that the City's General Superintendent has requested to see you." Touma's companions (even Othinus) froze at that statement, although for the moment no-one spoke a word.

After a moment's pause, Touma spoke again: "Has any particular date or time been given for this meeting, Awaki-san?"

To which, Awaki replied: "The choice of time has been given to you, Kamijou-san."

"Impressive, hero." smirked Accelerator. "Never known anyone 'requested' to see the General Superintendent to get to choose when … not even Tsuchimikado."

Glancing for a moment at the others, Touma turned back to Awaki, Etzali and Accelerator, stating: "If it's alright, tomorrow works fine with me. I can meet you all at some convenient venue, and we'll proceed from there."

"More likely you'll just meet these two, tomorrow." replied Accelerator. "You should at least tell him how he's going to get to the General Superintendent, Unabara."

"What the Number One means, Kamijou-san." interjected Etzali, "is that you'll be teleported to the General Superintendent's exact location by Awaki-san. Regarding meeting up tomorrow, could I suggest we meet outside of Joseph's by ... say, 9:00a.m.? Also, could we get a contact number or e-mail address for you, if you don't mind?"

"Joseph's is fine." replied Touma. "As for contacting me, Accelerator and I exchanged contact information some time ago. Mine is still valid."

In response to a glance from Etzali, Accelerator nodded with a grunt as if to confirm Touma's statement.

"I'll take that as a 'yes' from Accelerator-san. Well, we won't keep you all any longer … see you tomorrow, Kamijou-san." said Etzali, nodding politely as he and Awaki turned to depart. Accelerator remained a moment until his companions seemed to be out of earshot before speaking again.

"There's something different about you, hero, since last time we met." was Accelerator's next statement.

"Well, it will take a while to disclose it all, but, if you are interested, perhaps we could talk about it at some later time, Accelerator." Touma replied after a few seconds.

"When that time comes, … I'll either message you or contact you via Yomikawa." Accelerator replied in turn.

"Yomikawa … sensei, from my school?" inquired Touma.

"Yeah … maybe I'll talk about that some other time." was Accelerator's parting words as he turned to leave.

 

"Well, that was interesting." mused Seria, after the Number One Level 5 was virtually out of sight. "Then again, on the basis of what we learned while going to your family's home, it was probably inevitable that the General Superintendent would seek you out at some point, now that certain things about you have changed, Touma."

"At least I'm grateful that I had the choice to determine when such a meeting will take place." replied Touma. "Put simply, I, and by extension, we, have time to prepare for it."

As they proceeded to the pick-up and drop-off point for the City's automated mass transit vehicles, the group decided to part ways for now. Just as Touma would meet Etzali and Awaki in the morning, the others would likewise meet up until Touma's return.

"We'll proceed for now directly to Tokiwadai, everyone." stated Misaki, "Arrangements have previously been made, mostly by Kumokawa-san, for Mitsuari-san's re-instatement at school, so I'll see about getting her settled into the dormitory."

"We're counting on you, and what the Matriarch taught you, Index-san, to make sure Touma's ready for tomorrow." was Ayu's comment.

"You can leave it to me, Ayu-san, Misaki-san." replied Index.

Following (naturally) each of them giving a parting hug to Touma, Misaki and Ayu boarded the first available bus headed for Tokiwadai. Similarly, Seria gave a hug of her own to Touma, before making her own way back to her dormitory.

"Right, you three, ... I'm counting Sphynx, as well." exclaimed Touma, "let's make our way home. As stated earlier, we've got a few things to do in order to be ready for tomorrow."

"True enough." chipped back Othinus.

"Mmm," chimed in Index.

 

Once eventually back at their residence, Touma, Index and Othinus unpacked their gear from the trip. At Othinus's suggestion, one of the futons purchased while in Kanagawa was brought back with them, as it was assumed that, with the immediate issue of misfortune seemingly fixed, there was no longer any need for Touma to use the bathtub as his bed.

"Of course, if you've become used to the bathtub, you could always just keep the futon folded and packed away for your next guest or freeloader." commented the former Magic God.

"Not a chance, Othi-chan." replied Touma. "At the very least, this is one thing to be thankful for, and I intend to use it as long as I can."

After certain other things had been dealt with, and before they retired for the night, Index applied the pressure-point technique taught to her by the Matriarch to Touma, for the purpose of possible protection against the Archtype Controller, if it should be brought into use on him.

"Do you feel any different, human?" inquired Othinus, once the task was complete.

"I can't say I do, but I trust Index and the Matriarch on this, Othi-chan." was Touma's reply. "No doubt, while I'm wherever I'm going tomorrow, Index will attend to you and the others."

"Pfft … even with my magic god powers effectively gone, I should not need such a thing, … but then, if only to keep everyone else's mind at ease, when that time comes, I'll be in your care, nun." retorted Othinus.

"Right." snarked Index.

 

The next day, and as agreed previously, Ayu, Misaki and Seria arrived at Joseph's, to find Touma, Index and Othinus already there (naturally, Othinus was, so-to-say, in "doll" mode, to avoid attracting any unwanted attention). Within the next minute or so, Awaki and Etzali appeared via teleportation.

"Good to see you're here on time, Kanijou-san" stated Awaki, after certain pleasantries were exchanged. "As soon as you're ready, we'll be off to your meeting with the General Superintendent. When your meeting is over, I'll transport you to any location you choose within the City."

"The rest of us will be together while you're there, Touma-kun." was Seria's own statement. "One of us will leave a message regarding where we are, and Awaki-san can then bring you there." Index & Othinus had decided the night before, that they would disclose to Seria and the others the essence of their conversation with the Matriarch, regarding Touma & his possible connection with the Society's primary mission.

"That works fine with me, sempai." replied Touma.

After 'turning down' Imagine Breaker (an action which, for the moment, probably only Othinus, and possibly Index, recognized as taking place), Touma indicated his being ready, and after assuring the others that everything will be fine, Awaki teleported herself and Touma away.

Before turning away to leave, Etzali asked of the group who accompanied Touma: "Please excuse me for asking, but, just to satisfy my own curiosity, is your 'association' with Kamijou-san personal- or business-related?"

Seria replied calmly and without missing a beat: "The lines may blur at times, Unabara-san, but … and I'm certain I speak for all of us … for the moment, it's business. However, if we should find out that anything unpleasant has happened to Kamijou Touma, or likewise if he finds out anything has likewise happened to us, ….. it becomes personal at that point."

Etzali nodded at that, seemingly satisfied with that answer. "Well, with that said, I shall take my leave. If you should see Kamijou-san later, before I do, please give him my regards."

After the Aztec magic-user had departed, the question was raised by Misaki: "So, what is our course of action at this point, until Touma returns?"

Index was the one to respond: "We need to talk about something disclosed to Othinus and myself by the Matriarch before we left Touma's family home".

"In that case," Seria suggested, "we can use my 'office' back at our High School. It might be a bit crowded, but it's probably as private as we can get."

 

Over at St George's Cathedral, England, Laura Stuart, current Archbishop of the Church of England, had the following conversation with herself in her private chamber, where, not coincidentally, no-one else was present at that moment: "Oh my, my, my … it seems the bearer of Imagine Breaker is back in Academy City, and it seems that the dear General Superintendent has requested to see him. I usually don't 'crash a party', but this time I think I'll make an exception … this might be fun."

 

Almost simultaneously, in another place and time outside of the known universe: a group of individuals had congregated, and a decision had been made:

"Very well … you two will go to this meeting of Aleister Crowley and our candidate for the scorer. The rest of us will back you up in getting you there as well as bringing you back"

"I'm still not amused about the method of selection used to choose us."

"Oi, don't complain, … we used fair and square means to make the choice."

"That may be so, IF one considers 'rock-paper-scissors' a way to choose fair and square."

"What about Crowley's manipulation of the parameters from earlier that we did not detect in time, by which he was able to ultimately counter us, even killing Zombie?"

"Don't forget … we haven't exactly been twiddling our thumbs here in the so-called New World, … at least once we called a truce to that little spat we had."

"That 'little spat', as you called it, has laid waste to probably a dozen or more worlds here in this universe, and it was a royal pain to fix things back even partially."

"That aside, and even if we tend to minimize our presence in our original world, we generally agree not to let Crowley or anyone else dictate whether we can come and go as we please. Also remember, his original contention seems to have been with High Priest, and not the rest of us. Still, if he chooses to extend his animosity to all other Magic Gods, then we shall respond accordingly."

 

Even in the seeming instantaneous act of teleporting from Joseph's to Crowley location within the Windowless Building, Touma had a brief mind-to-mind conversation with the Invisible Thing:

_Touma: "Just checking; are you still there, Dragon-san."_

_Invisible Thing: "I am still connected with you, my host."_

_Touma: "Now that I think about it, unless someone happened to be watching us from afar at my family's home, only Index and the others who were with me know that I have gained a measure of control over Imagine Breaker, but also an awareness of you yourself."_

_Invisible Thing: "Might I remind you of the occasion where I emerged, so-to-say, after your arm was severed during what you called the attempted Level 6 shift … it's possible that my presence was observed, even if that was merely one aspect of my nature."_

_Touma: "Well, we can't do anything about that, but regarding what's about to happen, even I can't tell, so, just in case, if I decide anyone or anything is threatening my life or well-being, I'll be calling upon you mentally to effect an immediate break-out. And if I tell you to act, don't hold back … er, I should qualify that a bit; just don't blow up the planet or anything like that if I tell you to act."_

_Invisible Thing: "Sounds interesting."_

 

In the seemingly next instant, Awaki and Touma materialized within Crowley's inner sanctum inside the Windowless Building.

"I'll return again when summoned to transport you back, Kamijou-san." stated Awaki. Touma nodded in acknowledgement. With that, Awaki disappeared.

At that point, Touma found himself standing before Aleister Crowley, General Superintendent of Academy City (among other things) floating upside-down in his suspension chamber. For a few moments, no word is uttered, Finally, as if he was pre-occupied with something else before noticing Touma's presence, dialogue began:

"I see you have arrived, Kamijou Touma." stated Crowley in his usual monotone.

Touma replied with a nod: "I have. Before we get underway, should I address you as General Superintendent, or do you have some other preference?"

In response, Crowley said: "Crowley-san will do fine."

Touma continued: "Well, then, Crowley-san, might I know for what reason I've been summoned?"

Crowley replied: "Simply put, I desire to know your present intentions, in light of what seems to have transpired over these last few days."

Touma responded: "I have no problem with that. Do I need to re-cap all that has happened recently, or should I get right to, as you stated, my intentions?"

For his own part, Crowley replied: "I'll leave that up to you … no doubt, if I require anything additional, I need only ask, am I right?"

Before another word was spoken, two of the Magic Gods – namely, Nephthys and Niang-Niang – suddenly appeared in Crowley's inner sanctum, with a brief flash of light.

"We're back in town, Kamijou Touma." both Niang-Niang and Nephthys exclaimed.

Touma raised a hand to acknowledge their greeting mostly out of courtesy, noting to himself briefly, after what he had recently been through, he had intended to find a way to contact them, regarding certain things. For his part, Crowley was silent for the moment, but his facial impression suggested that he was neither amused nor pleased to see any of the Magic Gods again, far less in his sanctum.

Turning back to the General Superintendent, Touma inquired: "By any chance, are they also participating in this meeting, Crowley-san?"

Crowley responded: "To be frank, most definitely not. In fact, I invite them to either depart of their own free will, while they can, or I'm prepared to … help them leave."

Niang-Niang replied to Crowley's declaration: "You are welcome to try to help us leave, if you so choose, Aleister Crowley, but even if the two of us were selected to come here, we of the True Gremlin have a vested interest of sorts in this human. Therefore, whatever you may wish from him or of him, we're simply here to make sure that it is not to our disadvantage."

In the next instant, two large glowing spikes of some unknown composition suddenly appeared as if they rose out of the floor, passing through the bodies of both Nephthys and Niang-Niang.

For the space of about two seconds, no-one in the sanctum responded in any way. For his part, Touma felt a strange sense of calm, as if there was no need to be concerned about whether any harm came to the pair of Magic Gods. In the next second, with a loud bang, the spikes shattered and dissipated as dust is scattered by the wind. Both Niang-Niang and Nephthys stood where they were, displaying no sign of or injury or damage, either to their clothing or bodies.

Niang-Niang spoke again: "Eh-heh … it seems like our homework while in our New World has paid off."

Nephthys proceeded to speak at that point: "Just so you clearly understand, Aleister Crowley; we did not come here with any hostile intent, but we trust we've demonstrated that your past actions no longer affect us as before, and, if the need arises, we are prepared to respond in kind to actions like that."

Crowley replied in a seemingly nonplussed tone: "So it seems."

Suddenly, and with a flash of light, someone else appeared in the sanctum … namely Archbishop Laura Stuart, although, in her case, it was merely a magical projection, akin to a 3D-hologram, as opposed to her actual physical body. Also strangely enough, the Archbishop's projection was of her being seated in some sort of high chair, as opposed to standing on her two feet.

In a strange manner of speaking the Japanese language, Laura declared to all present with a wave of her hand: "I'm ho-ommeee!" Crowley said nothing for the moment, but Touma thought for a second that he saw a twitch on his (Crowley's) face.

Finally, Crowley spoke again: "Perhaps I should … how is it said … change the locks on the doors."

Laura replied in her strange fashion: "You're welcome to do such a thing, General Superintendent, … while you still can, but while you and I might have some 'business of our own' that shall one day be addressed, I simply dropped by, so-to-speak, to meet someone of whom I've only heard of up to now … namely, the bearer of the Imagine Breaker, Kamijou Touma. Timing and other affairs did not permit such a meeting when he was in England."

Sensing something potentially dangerous in the air regarding this strange woman who has appeared before them, Touma chose to be polite and discreet in his own reply to her making an indirect statement to him: "I presume that you're the Archbishop of the Anglican Church and leader of Necessarius, Laura Stuart-san. If truth be told, I only know about you from what has been told to me, mostly by … my neighbor, who you probably know from his being a member of your Church."

In response, Laura stated with either a 'Hmmm' or a 'Hmmph' (it was difficult to tell): "Knowing him as I do, perhaps I should someday invite you back to England to correct … how is it said … certain misconceptions that might have been presented. For now, I should at least express my thanks for your looking after the Index Librorum Prohibitorum." Touma simply nodded at that, all the while recognizing on at least a non-verbal level that the Archbishop's statement of thanks was at best a surface gesture.

It was at this point that Crowley spoke once more: "This may be amusing on some level to some of you, but seeing that a somewhat private meeting has been interrupted, perhaps I should defer my own business with the bearer of the Imagine Breaker, until a more … convenient time."

Laura replied almost immediately: "Oooooooooh, … are you per chance implying that you actually 'swing that way', Aleister? Although, from the reports I've got, I somehow don't believe it is the same with Kamijou … otherwise, some folks are going to be very disappointed if that's the case." Touma strove not to show any reaction on his face to that insinuation, although he mentally face-palmed at that remark.

Crowley fired back, maintaining his usual monotone: "Your attempt at bawdy humor leaves much to be desired, Archbishop Laura Stuart, … or perhaps I should call you …"

Laura suddenly emanated a strange and chilling vibration, even though her physical body was back in England, as she interjected in the same strange tone of voice (although it seemed that she now spoke through clenched teeth): "And just what should you call me, Aleister, … or perhaps I should more correctly call you …"

Suddenly radiating a malevolent vibration of his own, Crowley made an interjection of his own, all the while maintaining his manner of speaking: "Oh, it might prove fascinating if you do conclude your statement of what you should call me …"

By this moment, most if not all instrument screens in the sanctum had begun flashing randomly if not wildly, and even the fluid in Crowley's suspension chamber had steadily begun to swirl and bubble. As tensions flared, both Crowley and Stuart were bearing what might best be described as 'slasher smiles'. In those few moments of verbal exchange, Niang-Niang and Nephthys had moved over to Touma's vicinity.

Nephthys commented in a snarky tone: "This looks like it could get particularly entertaining."

To which, Niang-Niang replied: "Perhaps we could get some snacks while we watch."

Touma for his part only stated: "I have a feeling we should probably get some sort of heavy armor rather than snacks. Remember, you two are Magic Gods; I'm not."

Finally, something within Touma prompted him to step forward, to a bit of surprise on the part of the Magic Gods. With the sound of his clearing his throat as if preparing to speak. Aleister and Laura seem to momentarily cease their elevating levels of hostile behavior, before turning their eyes to him.

Touma spoke at that point (seeking to choose his words carefully): "Excuse me for interrupting, but I would submit that, seeing that the General Superintendent did summon me here for some as-yet undisclosed matter, perhaps it would be for the best if, as he said, he and I conclude our business. Regarding your invitation to come to England again, Archbishop-san, while it will be difficult right now, perhaps on some future occasion, and if I am permitted to leave Academy City for a period (glancing at Crowley as he spoke), I will be in a position to accept your invitation."

After a pause of her own, during which she made a gesture as if she was contemplating an idea, Laura Stuart finally replied: "I am willing to accept your suggestion, Kamijou Touma. In fact, it's not altogether inconceivable that said day might come along … even sooner than some might think."

Crowley stated in his own response: "For my part, if Kamijou Touma ever does visit England again, … and IF you are still there, I'll be sure to have him convey my regards, … unless of course I do so myself."

"Well, having said my piece, I shall take my leave." replied Laura. "Do be sure to give my regards to Index, Kamijou Touma. I'll be in touch with you on our own … business, … another day, Aleister."

In response, Crowley stated: "I'll be sure to be ready to … receive you, Archbishop.", even as Laura's projected image shimmered and disappeared.

Turning to Nephthys and Niang-Niang, Touma spoke again: "Perhaps in like manner, after I conclude my business here, we can talk, particularly about certain things I learned some days ago. If that is fine with you, Nephthys-san knows where I can be found."

After glancing at Niang-Niang, Nephthys replied: "Your suggestion is likewise accepted, Kamijou Touma. I'll even consent to be polite to that failure if and when we seek you out."

Niang-Niang stated at that point: "We shall leave you to conduct your business, Aleister Crowley; granted we don't need to remind you that our prior advisory still stands."

With that, both Magic gods disappeared.

 

After a few seconds, Crowley spoke again: "You seem to be somewhat popular with certain individuals, Kamijou Touma, or perhaps it is more with the female gender."

Touma replied, again picking his words carefully: "That is probably a matter of viewpoint, but I suspect that's not the reason you wanted to see me, Crowley-san. Perhaps we should just get to the essential points of those intentions about which you were inquiring."

To which Crowley responded: "Agreed."

Touma then stated: "Very well … to keep it short and simple, two things which I considered troublesome, and with which I have been forced to put up for quite some time, have been resolved … I trust, permanently. Regarding my intentions from this point on, whether short-term, long-term, or both ... my primary aim is to work out what I want my future life to be, and to make it so. That may only vary in part or in full, subject to other persons' actions, whether they are directed towards myself, or to certain others. If or when I should recognize such actions taking place, I'll decide at that moment what action I will take myself, if any. Is that a suitable disclosure, or do you require any further clarification, Crowley-san?"

After a moment's pause, Crowley replied: "Perhaps for now, I only request one item of clarification … I am certain you are aware of two, shall-I-say, spheres which are, up to the present day, generally opposite to each other." Touma did not interject, but instinctively sensed that Crowley was referring to the realms of Science and Magic at that moment. Crowley continued: "Have you per chance considered the likelihood that your pursuit of your intentions might place you on the side of one, which by extension automatically places you in opposition to the other?"

Touma responded: "For my part, I say that such might be the case, if it was accepted that co-existence of the two 'spheres' as you called them, was absolutely impossible. Speaking solely for myself, and while I will admit I probably have not experienced the full scope of what is contained in either of those spheres, I believe co-existence is possible, if those who belong to either one decide to make it so."

After a few seconds, Crowley spoke again: "Your disclosure is sufficient answer to my questions. Perhaps out of courtesy, I am willing to indulge in answering any question you have have … subject of course to my having an answer to give."

Touma seemed to pause to think, then spoke again: "At this point, I have only two questions, if I may."

To which, Crowley replied: "Please proceed."

Touma responded: "Based upon your own experiences, do you … how shall I say it best … subscribe to the notion that challenges, obstacles and difficulties in a person's life are essential or necessary for that person to grow?"

After a few seconds, Crowley replied: "Simply put, I do. And I believe it not only applies to human beings, but examples of such can even be found in non-human life."

Touma spoke again: "Then, my other question is … is it possible that there might be an overlap, or blurring of the lines, between a person growing naturally in a certain direction, versus being compelled to grow in said direction?"

Crowley's reply was: "I submit that anyone who seeks an answer to that question must discover the answer for themselves."

Silence reigned in the sanctum for close to half a minute, before Touma spoke again: "Your answers satisfy me, Crowley-san. Therefore, if our business is concluded, I suppose the moment has come for me to take my leave."

In response, Crowley spoke: "I have already notified Move Point. She will arrive momentarily to transport you to any destination of your choice."

"You have my thanks for that, Crowley-san." replied Touma. Awaki re-appeared moments afterwards.

"As you have my own thanks, Kamijou Touma." was Crowley's seemingly closing words.

Reaching for his phone and glancing at it, Touma saw a message from Seria, regarding where she and the others had assembled. Turning to Awaki, he stated: "My friends have notified me where they are. I'd appreciate if you could take me there. Once I've arrived, I'll find them.", even as he brought up the address of his high school on his phone and showed it to the Level 4 teleporter.

Awaki viewed the information on his phone screen, before replying: "Understood." With that both Touma and Awaki disappear from the sanctum.

Silence filled Crowley's sanctum for about a minute, until the being known only as Aiwass materialized therein.

Aiwass spoke: "Well, that was possibly the most stimulating thing I've encountered for quite some time. I'm quite intrigued that all you did with the bearer of Imagine Breaker was talk."

Crowley replied: "It is possible that other things might have taken place, were it not for interruptions and distractions by certain … unexpected and uninvited visitors. Seeing that my previous methods to incapacitate the Magic Gods no longer seem to be effective, I suppose I must devote time and effort to finding another way, if the need for it should arise. And then, if that were not inconvenient enough, … **_she_** (Crowley almost seemed to spit out the word) … seems to be preparing to make a move of her own. Likely, her visit was merely a test of whether she could enter this sanctum at present. Again, it will take time and effort to do something about that."

Aiwass seemed to muse on Crowley's statement before making its own reply: "If my observation of you after all this time is any indication, time seems to be something of which you have quite an abundance. Plus, if the endeavor is considered important enough, no doubt you will put in the required effort." With that, Aiwass's form shimmered and faded away.

 

Within a moment, in terms of "real time", Touma and Awaki materialized at the entrance gate to A Certain High School.

"Thanks for the transport, Awaki-san." remarked Touma.

"It was not much." replied Awaki. "In truth, I should be thanking you for calling the ambulance to pick me up back then."

"Ah," Touma blinked, before recalling certain events taking place during the so-called "Tree Diagram Renmant" affair. He spoke again: "It's just that I was occupied at the moment, but I figured the least I could do was to call the ambulance, after seeing you apparently unconscious as I thought you were."

"Well, you've just confirmed what Tsuchimikado says often about you, Kamijou-san." Awaki in turn replied (without revealing exactly what that was). With that, she teleported away.

Meanwhile, in Seria's "office", aside from her applying the pressure-point technique to the others, Index and Othinus disclosed to Ayu, Seria and Misaki the details of their conversation with the Matriarch, following the restoration (at least in part at the time) of Touma's memories, and his attainment of control over Imagine Breaker.

"One might conclude there's never a dull moment around Touma-san." remarked Ayu, upon the revelation being completed.

"I recall Tsuchimikado-san advising before our initial contact with the Matriarch, that it's possible that she and her Society might have their own agenda with regards to Touma-kun. Seems that to a degree, he was spot on.", was Misaki's comment.

"It might be hard to deduce exactly how things might have transpired in another time and place where that human's memories and misfortune remained as they were with him, and if he were to somehow awaken to the power sealed." stated Othinus. "Notwithstanding, and as we indicated, Index and I promised the Matriarch to keep him from one day becoming the Society's target, and it never hurts to have, so-to-say, as many hands on deck as possible to make sure that gets done."

"You can consider it a foregone conclusion, Othinus-san, and you also, Index-san." responded Seria, "our hands are also 'on deck', where this matter is concerned. I presume also that, for now, Touma need not know that we have his back regarding what you've disclosed. At some future point, we can reveal it to him."

"Agreed." replied the former Magic God.

Ayu, Misaki and Index each signified their agreement with a nod.

At that moment, a notification tone came from Seria's phone. Looking at the message, she declared to the others: "That was Touma, indicating that he had arrived at the entrance to the School." Naturally, some sighs of relief were made at that revelation.

"We are a bit crowded here, as we are now, or shall we carry on, at least until we've finished?" inquired Ayu.

"There's a meeting room on this floor across from this room … we'll transfer over there. I'll let Touma know." was Seria's reply, typing and sending said notice.

Minutes later, Touma rejoined the others in the aforementioned meeting room, where he outlined what transpired in the 30-or-so minute period between his being transported to the Windowless Building and back.

"Ughh." grunted Othinus, on the revelation that those two particular Magic Gods had re-appeared in this world. "I suppose we'll no doubt be visited by them, later. That one had better be on her best behavior … it's your residence, so you have the right to put her out if she gets out of line."

"Not to worry, Othi-chan." replied Touma, "Nephthys-san herself said she'll behave. Besides, it saves us the trouble of finding a way to contact them on certain matters. For now, it might be of more concern that the Magic Gods seem to have been busy over in the world wherever Kamisato had sent them."

"I have to agree, human." came back Othinus. "If, as you mentioned, whatever means the General Superintendent used before to incapacitate them some time back no longer works, then if they reappear in this world, and intend to fight, the consequences of such a fight would be literally devastating."

"What about the strange woman you described, Touma, who you said appeared a little while after?" inquired Misaki.

"You're referring to the one called Laura Stuart, Shokuhou-san." replied Touma, "Truth be told, I know next to nothing about her, except what Tsuchimikado had revealed to us some while ago. But even during her brief visit, if I trust what I saw and heard, it backs up what Ollerus-san mentioned and even Tsuchimikado agreed … she and the General Superintendent seem headed for outright conflict. Unless something happens to intervene, it may be only a matter of time … and it would seem that they have no qualms of dragging the whole of both the Science and Magic Sides into their fight."

"Is there any indication that the General Superintendent is aware, or has realized that whatever he did to you years ago, has been removed, Touma-kun?" asked Seria.

"Our meeting, for want of a better term, seemed on the cordial side, sempai, but it's probably safer to assume that he knows." responded Touma. "Just how much he might know, I cannot say."

"Considering the fact that we can't openly reveal any of this to the City's general population, for reasons we have already been over, I guess all those of us who know about it can do for the moment is to watch and make preparations for it." remarked Ayu.

"There are at least three persons outside of this room, not counting Tsuchimikado, who have either encountered Magic before now or at least know something about it, so, at the least, they should be told enough about this to be on their guard." replied Touma. One of them is Accelerator. Another is Hamazura Shiage, a Level 0, and a former member of Skill-Out; unless I'm mistaken, none of you have met or encountered him before now. The third is Misaka-san."

"Misaka-san and I met briefly as I was discharged from the hospital over a month ago, after the affair involving the Elements was resolved, Touma-kun" remarked Misaki. "We've not spoken much to each other since our return, but she is in the City and at Tokiwadai."

"It would be more convenient if I speak to all three at once, rather than repeat myself." stated Touma, "but I must bear in mind; Misaka and Accelerator at times barely get along, even though he has changed a bit following the resolution of the Sisters Project back in August. If I can't convince them to meet with me at the same time, then I'll speak to them separately on this. Hamazura should be able to fit in at any time."

"The house in District 7 which we used before … I can arrange to have it available, if need be, Touma-kun." responded Seria. "Seeing that we have the better part of a week before all schools re-open after the break, you should seek to convey any such meeting rather quickly."

"I'll contact them myself. If they agree to meet in one place, I'll let you know as soon as I can." Touma replied.

 

Later that afternoon, and as agreed to earlier, Niang-Niang and Nephthys arrived at the Kamijou Residence.

"You can be at ease, Othinus." stated Nephthys. "I agreed to be civil towards you on this occasion, and I shall keep my promise."

"I'm sure." replied Othinus, with a wary tone in her voice.

"Even with back-up from the other Magic Gods, we cannot stay for much longer in this world without our presence affecting it." interjected Niang-Niang, "so we shall seek to be brief."

"Well, then," inquired Touma, "regarding the whole issue of my becoming the 'scorer', might I know whether you all had any time-frame in the future for revealing your intentions to me?"

Niang-Niang seemed to ponder for a moment before answering: "It's … a … se … cret.". There was naturally a bit of face-palming at that response.

"Nothing more there; let's move on." Touma responded. "How about supposedly the 'scorer' having his or her wishes granted, even in the presence of Imagine Breaker?"

Both Magic Gods' faces registered shock, even as the occupants of the Kamijou Residence felt a strange chill. Finally, Niang-Niang asked, looking at Nephthys: "Now that the subject has been mentioned, I really don't recall we ever took that into consideration, did we?"

Nephthys's response to that was to bonk Niang-Niang on her head. By now, Touma and Othinus were (either figuratively or literally) massaging their temples as the so-called "boke and tsukkomi" routine was being played out before them.

Taking a deep breadth, Touma spoke again: "Perhaps this will be the last question for now: if I outright decline the position of 'scorer', and you Magic Gods go looking for another, would your new 'candidate' have to go through a similar experience as I did?"

Niang-Niang replied with a sly grin, or perhaps a grimace: "Careful; you're just a human treading in the affairs of gods."

Sighing, Touma replied: "Fine; consider the matter dropped for now, but perhaps after the possible threat of war between Science and Magic is past, I can seriously consider this request of you Magic Gods."

"That may be acceptable to us, ... provided that there is still a universe existing afterwards." responded Nephthys.

After silence reigned for a moment or two, Index spoke: "You are then aware that the former magic-user known as Aleister Crowley seems to be intent on eradicating Magic from this world?"

"Even in our new home, we've picked up a few things here and there on that." replied Nephthys. "Crowley has naturally made it a point to keep most details of his plans, as well as the reasons for his actions, a secret, but we did eventually learn that High Priest was almost directly involved in the death of a relative of Crowley's, many years ago. Revenge for a family member's murder, I can agree with in most cases, but taking that as the grounds for eliminating all Magic – that's a bit extreme, to say the least."

"So, what might be your intentions from this point on?" inquired Othinus.

"Even we Magic Gods don't know all the details regarding that long-ago incident right now, yet we generally agree," stated Niang-Niang, "we refuse to let Crowley or anyone else dictate any terms to us … we have no hesitation in maintaining our general regard of him as a traitor to the Magic Side. Therefore, if indeed Crowley seeks to eradicate all Magic, for whatever reason, he also seeks to eradicate us by extension. If so, we shall respond whenever he makes his move … unless we choose to make a pre-emptive move of our own."

"Perhaps, as you've seemed to do in times past, Kamijou Touma, you might be able to bring about a resolution to this matter. If so, we suggest you do so, before some or all of the Magic Gods decide to take action." was Nephthys's parting words. Even as she spoke them, the Magic Gods departed back to the New World.

Silence pervaded the Kamijou Residence for a few moments, as the parting words from the Magic Gods lingered in the ears and minds of those present.

"Tch." grunted the former Magic God, "Some might say I should be the last to comment, as when you and I were on opposite sides, human, I would have probably operated with the same mind-set. Notwithstanding, if some sort of resolution is not found before the Magic Gods step in, I see nothing but unprecedented devastation being the result."

"Any thoughts on what to do, Touma?" asked Index.

"Nothing comes to mind, right now, Index, Othi-chan." was Touma's response. "For now, let's all just sleep on it. We'll pass the key points of this onto the others tomorrow, … then I guess we'd better start seriously coming up with options as to what to do.


	11. A Calm Before The Storm

Within a minute or so after switching 'on' her phone, after arising from the sleep of the previous night, a message notification tone rang out. The phone's owner reached for her phone and opened the message received. Said message came from an individual, who's contact information was not common knowledge to the average resident of Academy City – not necessarily even the Level Five Espers:

"Proposal has been reviewed and approved. Official notification has been prepared. My signature will be on the correspondence, and makes it take effect. You can arrange to come collect it today or tomorrow, subject to your schedule; of course, you will notify me in advance regarding when to expect you."

On reading that, a broad smile gradually formed on Kumokawa Seria's face. Within the next few seconds, said message was forwarded to two persons on her contact list.

 

It was a little after 6:00am in the morning. Daylight was still relatively low at this time of year, but the athletic grounds at Tokiwadai, like most other areas of Academy City are still well-illuminated by artificial lighting. It is here that Misaka Mikoto has been coming often, simply to enjoy moments of solitude. At the close of classes for the past year, she had opted to return home to spend part of the winter break with her parents, then returned to Academy City, for the week before resumption of classes. Following the leak of the Parameter List, a few girls had approached her privately on the matter, and discussions had taken place. In the end, and for the most part, Mikoto has, for the moment, made peace within herself with the revelations and implications of the List, and her relationships and standing with her classmates and other residents of Tokiwadai and School Garden have mostly remained unchanged. There were probably some who had formed and even now still hold rather negative opinions of their own outside of her presence, arising from those revelations, but for the most part, she has paid those little mind. More importantly, at this point in time, her relationships with her closest friends in Academy City – Shirai Kuroko, Saten Ruiko and Uiharu Kazari … remained as before.

On this particular morning, Mikoto was taking another of her early-morning walks, when she came upon a sight that she really did not expect to see any time soon. As she progressed, she observed at a distance away from her two other girls, wearing track suits, and at the moment engaged in various stretching exercises. That in itself was no surprise to Mikoto, as there were quite a few of School Garden's residents who engaged in some form of early-morning exercise of one form or another. What surprised her – almost to the point of having a jaw drop – was the identity of one of those girls. Even at the distance between her and them, Mikoto could not fail to recognize Shokuhou Misaki; the identity of the other person was for the moment unknown.

Naturally, there was nothing short of probably the re-appearance of the Elements, or some similar nigh-earth-shaking event that could cause Mikoto to wait until some future moment to get to the bottom of this mystery; she proceeded immediately towards Misaki and the other girl, who was none other than Ayu.

Ayu and Misaki had virtually finished their cool-down routine (part of an exercise program provided for them by a certain acquaintance of Kumokawa Maria), as Mikoto approached. Seeing her closing in, Misaki and Ayu spoke first, with pleasant smiles: "Good Morning, Misaka-san."

"Good Morning, Shokuhou-san … and to you also." Mikoto managed to reply, naturally not knowing the person who was with Misaki.

"Oh, right … you haven't been introduced up to now," continued Misaki. "This is Mitsuari Ayu-san; she was away for a while, but is resuming her studies at Tokiwadai. Mitsuari-san, this is Misaka Mikoto-san, Academy City's Third Level Five Esper." Ayu and Misaki exchanged polite bows.

With formalities out of the way, Mikoto politely (yet figuratively) inquired: "By chance is this some New Year's Resolution I'm witnessing, Shokuhou-san ... you, the so-called 'Queen of Tokiwadai', of all people, … exercising?"

Ayu giggled a bit, even as Misaki replies simply: "Times change and sometimes so do people … to make a interesting but long story short, Misaka-san, things have happened roughly over the last month that led to this. In addition, and while it cannot happen overnight, it will be fun to one day 'break the illusion' in some persons' minds that I am 'an out-of-shape, sweet-toothed, snack-loving ojou-sama', who would be absolutely helpless if something should ever happen to my ability." Not so surprisingly, this was a common conception held towards most espers whose ability involves telepathy and similar mental powers, although in many cases, many of those espers gave credibility to such an opinion by their actions.

Mikoto did a double-take at Misaki's words, before remarking: "Now you're only making me more curious, Shokuhou-san, as I've only heard that phrase about breaking illusions from only one other person in this City."

Seeing that Misaki was on the verge of breaking out into laughter as Mikoto's perplexed state, Ayu politely interjected: "It's quite possible, Misaka-san, that the person from whom you've heard that phrase is the same one with whom, during the winter break, Shokuhou-san and I have re-established our connection ... a certain young man by name of Kamijou Touma-san." If there was no jaw-drop on Mikoto's part up to that moment, she didn't hold back now.

Stepping in with almost a cheshire-cat grin, Misaki went on: "This could no doubt be discussed in more detail another time, Misaka-san, but, in summary form, I knew who Touma was during the Elements affair, but until a few days ago, he had neither knowledge nor memory of me, due to an incident which happened over a year ago. With the help of Mitsuari-san and a few others, that seems to have been resolved, so that Touma has regained his memories, not only of Mitsuari-san and myself, but those which he had lost around July of this year." Mikoto recalled for a brief moment her own discovery of Touma's memory issue during his encounter in Avignon, France with the one known as Terra of the Left, as well as her own later confrontation with Touma on the subject.

"I would tell more, but Touma himself told us he would soon be contacting you, Misaka-san, among others, regarding an issue which seems to be building to a head," continued Misaki, "... specifically, a possible outbreak of war between Science and Magic. You're one of the few in this City who either knows that Magic exists, or have had some exposure to it, so it's fair that you should be advised on what may be coming. But I'll leave the details of that to him. Now, if you'll please excuse us, we're off to shower and freshen up." Misaki finished her statement with another polite bow.

"It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Misaka-san … perhaps we'll meet and talk again, another time." said Ayu, with a bow of her own. Mikoto returned the bow, just before Ayu and Misaki departed.

Mikoto was left out on the track, for the most part, mystified, before turning around and heading back to the dormitory, a peculiar expression on her face which was either a smile, or a snarl (at the moment, it was probably hard to tell), and one thought resounding in her mind, if not expressed verbally: "That 'idiot' had better not take too long to contact me, otherwise I will seek him out, … even if I have to literally find where he lives."

 

At the Kamijou Residence, Touma awoke at his usual time, even as he was steadily getting used to sleeping in a futon, rather than in his bathtub. After getting dressed and freshening up from the previous night, he proceeded to check the current inventory of foodstuffs. After selecting a few items, he proceeded to his kitchen to prepare breakfast. Almost naturally, the scent of food served as the wake-up call for his freeloaders. Scarcely had breakfast been prepared when Index and Othinus called out:

Index: "Morning, Touma."

Othinus: "Morning, human."

Touma replied: "Morning, you two. I've just finished so after you've freshened up, we'll have breakfast together."

Some minutes later, during breakfast, Othinus asked: "So, what's on the agenda for today, human?"

"A little bit of shopping is definitely on, Othi-chan." was Touma's reply, "aside from that, and as I indicated yesterday, there are three persons in this City … at least those for whom I have some means of contact … who should at least know of what's brewing between Magic and Science."

"You had mentioned three persons yesterday, Touma." interjected Index, "did you think of someone else?"

"Kamisato-kun." replied Touma, "… granted he and I aren't necessarily on the best of terms, but at least he also should know about this, if he can be found."

"Don't forget about what Niang-Niang and Nephthys apparently chose to disclose, regarding whether they or the other Magic Gods might opt to take action of their own against the City's General Superintendent." reminded the former Magic God.

"In that respect, if we don't see Kumokawa-sempai and the others any time today, I promise to send them a message." responded Touma. "Now that I think of it, I should still have contact info for Ollerus-san; he should also be made aware of this, in case he already isn't."

"And what about your sometimes-allies in England?" continued Othinus.

"Most times, Stiyl contacted me rather than I contacted him, and right now, I have no way of contacting him." came back Touma. "For now, if Tsuchimikado does get over to England, we'll have to rely on him advising Stiyl and Kanzaki-san, regarding what's going on. Possibly, after that, one or both of them may seek me out."

 

After breakfast was concluded, and everything was washed and put away, the Kamijou Family assembled once more around the kotatsu. There, Touma dialed a certain number on his phone. Within a few seconds, the voice of Accelerator rang out over the phone's loudspeaker (Touma had opted to use handsfree mode).

"Honestly wasn't expecting you to call … as you said the other day, this is probably not a casual or social thing, is it?" asked the Number One Level Five in his usual brusque manner of speech.

"It's not." was Touma's reply. "Straight to the point; something has come up … we can either meet to discuss it, or if you'd prefer, I'll send an e-mail. One thing in advance, because in your respective ways, you both know about Magic, I plan to invite Misaka-san to hear about this also; it'll save time if I talk to both of you at once."

"I got no problem with the third-rate being there; it's up to her if she wants to be around me, … for reasons we both know." was Accelerator's response.

"I can secure a venue for this, unless you have a suggestion of your own." stated Touma.

"The park next to that so-called infamous Vending Machine will be fine with me." replied Accelerator. "Last Order has been bugging me to spend time outside, and you could bring the silver-haired girl along; they can chat or play while the grown-up's talk."

Flinching for a moment at mention of said Vending Machine, Touma agreed. "Then, I can be there within the hour, if that works with you."

"Works for me … see you then, hero." was Accelerator's parting comment, as the call ended.

"Is he always like that, human?" asked Othinus.

"Seems that way, Othi-chan." remarked Touma. "Probably ties in somehow to what sempai stated a while back … that all that glitters in Academy City is not gold. Anyway, one down … next is Misaka-san."

Within a few seconds of dialing, the call connected … and rather emphatically at that.

"OI!" Mikoto's voice rang out over the phone speaker, causing Sphynx to momentarily spring up hissing, as if he felt an electric discharge. Touma didn't even have a moment to do any sort of greeting, before Mikoto continued: "Five more seconds probably, and I would have been calling you!" Othinus raised an eyebrow, while Index and Touma each had a sweat-drop moment.

Deciding to maintain a cool head, Touma simply replied: "And good morning to you, Misaka-san."

Pausing to clear her throat (almost as if to get herself back into a civil frame of mind), Mikoto replied in turn, with a waver in her voice: "Morning … Kamijou-san."

"I don't always see them interact with each other, but it's strange to hear 'Short-Hair' not calling Touma: 'Idiot'." whispered Index to Othinus.

"It's probably her pet name for him." Othinus whispered back, "just as, if I recall right, he had a habit of calling her … what was that term … 'Biri-Biri'?"

"I'll get to the point, … something's brewing." Touma continued. "You're one of the few in this City I know who's aware that Magic exists, so it makes sense that you should know about this. I'm meeting with Accelerator in roughly an hour from now to advise him of the issue … if you're okay with being around him, you're welcome to come along; otherwise, we can make other arrangements."

After a moment's silence, Mikoto replied, a hint of wariness in her voice: "As long as he behaves himself, I'll be there. Where are you meeting up?"

"To use his words, by a certain Vending Machine." was Touma's response.

"Right – see you then. And do note … you have some explaining to do on ... another matter ..., even if what you're going to disclose might take priority for the moment." was Mikoto's next comment.

"As you said, I consider what I'm going to disclose to both of you as taking priority. The other matter can follow afterwards. See you in an hour's time, Misaka." stated Touma, as that call was terminated.

"Similar to what I mentioned about the grumpy one; is she always like that, human?" inquired the former Magic God.

"I claim no expertise in comprehending the mind of females, Othi-chan, … but Misaka is a good person, and I trust her." Touma replied. "Plus, if anything does happen, and she thinks I withheld knowledge of it from her, for whatever reason, she'll no doubt have a lightning bolt, if not a railgun, aimed at me when next we meet."

Next on the list was Hamazura Shiage.

"Sure, I can be there, Boss." was Shiage's straightforward reply to the invitation to meet Touma, alongside Accelerator and Mikoto.

By now, Touma has been added to the messaging group originally comprised of Ayu, Misaki and Seria; within a minute, he sent a message to them about his meeting Accelerator, Misaka and Hamazura, promising to give feedback later. Ayu replied a few minutes later, indicating that she and Misaki were off to meet with Seria on some business; he can call or they can arrange to meet at some future time.

 

One hour later, Touma and Index were seated at a park bench, next to a certain (infamous) Vending Machine. Within roughly the next minute, Accelerator arrived accompanied by Last Order.

"The Control Unit is face-to-face with the Savior, as MISAKA MISAKA broadcasts that announcement to the Network." exclaimed Last Order rather vociferously, as she and Touma exchanged a fist-bump.

Meanwhile, Index stepped forward and with a bow thanked Accelerator for looking after her that day in the Underground Mall. Accelerator shrugged it off, in his usual style.

Mikoto arrived soon afterwards, exchanging a mutual glare with Accelerator, even as Last Order also greeted "the Original", before walking off together with Index. Hamazura arrived shortly thereafter.

"Just so you're in the loop, Misaka-san, this is Hamazura Shiage; Hamazura, this is Misaka Mikoto-san, a.k.a. the Railgun." stated Touma as he introduced Mikoto and Shiage to each other, being careful not to make any mention of a certain past incident involving Skill-Out. Mikoto and Shiage exchange nods.

"Now that we're all here, I'll reveal what I mentioned briefly via phone… to keep it short, indications are that war could break out between Science and Magic." continued Touma.

Accelerator asked: "How big a problem could it be?"

To which, Touma replied: "The only thing that comes to mind that could reflect that scale would be World War III, and even then, it's possible that this could be even bigger."

"Did the General Superintendent reveal this to you?" inquired Accelerator.

"No; it was others who alerted me to that possibility … and that includes Tsuchimikado to some degree." responded Touma.

Mikoto then asked: "Who are the likely major antagonists, if that's the best way to describe them?"

Touma replied: "This City's General Superintendent on one hand, and the Archbishop of the Church of England on the other, with a possibility that all of the Science and Magic Sides could get dragged along for the ride, to say nothing of one or more of the Magic Gods stepping in for their own reasons."

"Magic Gods … you mean like that one calling himself High Priest who rampaged though the City a few months ago?" interjected Mikoto.

"Correct," replied Touma, "and from what I understand, even though he eventually got somehow taken out by Academy City, he was actually one of many."

Hamazura came in at that point: "Just how many 'magic gods' are there, Boss?"

"I've only met four to date." responded Touma, "but I understand they come from many if not all the religions of the world. What happened in Sargasso was the work of a Magic God. The one called High Priest who rampaged through Academy City a few months back is another example. A dozen or more of them coming together to fight … it likely won't be pretty."

Hamazura spoke again: "So, any idea what's the reason for war threatening to break out?"

Touma responded: "Put simply, and as it was disclosed to me, our General Superintendent is actually a magic user. The Magic Side on the whole regards him as a traitor who abandoned Magic for Science. He in turn bears a grudge against the Magic Side for something in his past, apparently for which, his plan is to eliminate all Magic from this world. Neither Side seems to show any willingness to resolve the matter other than going to war."

It was now Mikoto who interjected: "So just what do we do about it, or for that matter, can we even do anything about it?"

"Right now, your guess is as good as mine, Misaka." was Touma's reply. "Hostilities could break out literally this instant, or we'll all wake up one morning to find things happening. I just thought it best that, since you all have encountered Magic before in one form or another, you should be aware of what's brewing."

Accelerator shrugged as he arose from the bench: "Well, I'll concede it's better I know about it earlier rather than later. Magic was a pain in the ass to deal with during World War III, but as you reminded me, hero, I've encountered it before. If some sort of war does break out, my response will be the same as before: I protect anyone and anything important to me." He then called out to Last Order: "Oi, brat, we're heading home." Last Order seemed to protest, but she said something to Index before dashing over to re-join her caretaker.

Before leaving, Accelerator spoke again: "Regarding that other matter; like I said the other day, … we're still gonna talk about it another time."

Mikoto inquired, her curiosity aroused: "Other matter?"

Accelerator grunted: "Haven't you noticed it, third-rate? … there's something different about the hero. I noticed it."

Even as Accelerator and Last Order departed, Hamazura gets a message on his phone. He stated: "I'm being summoned, so I gotta run. Keep me advised whatever happens, Boss."

"Sure."replied Touma.

As Hamazura took his leave, that left Mikoto and Touma, even as Index walked back to join them. After a pause, Mikoto spoke: "Now that I really pay close attention, that guy's right … something has changed about you, even if I can't describe or define it."

Index, who has rejoined them to hear that comment, spoke up: "Touma, do you think it's safe to tell Misaka-san about all that?"

Mikoto replied quickly: "He knows better than to keep certain things from me, 'Index-san' … or at least he should know better. At least I'll credit you for not calling me 'Short-Hair', as you did in times past."

Touma interjected this time: "Oi, you two … please let's keep it civil. To sum up the whole thing, you're aware of what I often called the general misfortunate trend of my life, Misaka?"

Mikoto replied: "I've seen a few examples of it, I admit."

To which, Touma replied: "Well, something was discovered to be the cause of it. That something seems to have been fixed, together with my memories of my past before July of this year … as of a few days ago, they're back. And yes, that includes memories of Shokuhou Misaki-san and I presume the other girl you're speaking about is Mitsuari Ayu-san."

"We got introduced briefly today," stated Mikoto, "… although I'll admit I almost thought I was seeing things to see Shokuhou-san of all people exercising."

After a pause, they both glance at Index, who's watching them intently, one hand propping up her chin: Noticing their glance, Index spoke: "Ah, … don't mind me; this exchange is quite entertaining."

Mikoto continued: "So, dare I ask what happens next?"

Touma replied: "If you're talking about what I think you are, that matter is secondary for now. Aside from the possibility of war between Magic and Science, even with my memories restored and my misfortune seemingly fixed, I'm still probably at the bottom of the pile, so far as this City and its schooling system goes. My priority is to do something about that, at least to some degree, before I can even think about any relationship. And even though we've only skirted the issue briefly, I trust Shokuhou and Mitsuari know that also."

Index cut in at that moment: "What about Kumokawa-san, Touma?", which caused Mikoto to raise an eyebrow.

Touma replied: "I'm certain she knows also, Index … one should almost never under-estimate the wisdom of a sempai."

Rising from her place on the bench, Mikoto stretched her arms as she spoke again: "Well, I'll admit that I've seen at least one good thing come out of all this, so far."

Touma, raising an eyebrow himself, asked: "And that would be … ?"

In response, Mikoto stated: "When Shokuhou visited me in the hospital after that business with those creatures … the Elements …, not only did she refrain from her usual 'ojou-sama' antics, but she indicated she was going back to School Garden, knowing that in all likelihood, she would get physically involved to whatever degree in getting the place back in order. And as of today, I came across her exercising … a sight I never thought I'd see concerning her in a very long time. Perhaps I can conclude that, if some people can, either directly or indirectly, bring out something good in others, maybe that's what you're doing to Shokuhou-san."

Index seemingly couldn't help but remark: "Ooooooooh … 'Short-Hair' is being profound; who would've thought it possible?"

Mikoto replied, a sly grin on her face: "I might have my moments … perhaps one day I'll see you do likewise, 'Silver Sister'."

Touma: "Well, for now, that's it. As I said, I can't claim any idea as to when anything might happen, and for reasons already known, I can only disclose this to you, Accelerator and Hamazura. So, all that we can do from this moment on is be on our guard."

Mikoto replied: "That's better by far than being caught unaware, I suppose."

With that, they said their goodbyes before Mikoto headed off to meet up with her friends, and Touma & Index went shopping.

 

While the impromptu meeting in the vicinity of A Certain Vending Machine was taking place, another was being held over in a relatively upscale house located in a (for want of a suitable definition) posh residential area within District 7. Here we find Ayu, Misaki and Seria gathered together in the living room, together with an elderly gentleman, dressed in formal clothes – none other than Tsugutoshi Kaizumi, one of Academy City's Board Directors and Seria's employer.

Speaking in the mannerisms befitting an elderly gentleman, Tsugutoshi inquired: "I take it the recent excursion with Kamijou Touma-san went well, Kumokawa-san."

Seria replied: "Definitely – Touma's memories thought to have been lost up to July-August of this year all seem to have been restored, plus, it turned out his infamous misfortune was the result of, shall-we-say, outside factors, which, due to our combined efforts, we were able to fix. And from what my former subordinate had revealed to us, it's probably a good thing that it's so."

Tsugutoshi came back: "You refer to the likelihood that the two Sides – Science and Magic – seem to be headed for conflict, do you not?"

"Indeed, Tsugutoshi-san." replied Seria.

"Please excuse me for asking," interjected Ayu, "but is that particular issue known among the Board of Directors, Tsugutoshi-san?"

"It is, Mitsuari-san," was Tsugutoshi's reply, "although for obvious reasons, it will be problematic to disclose this to the general populace; out of which only a handful … yourselves included … know that Magic is real, let alone it is at times in opposition to Science … although there are schools of thinking that the two areas are actually not opposed to each other, except that those who are in charge have made it so."

"We've discussed the matter briefly among ourselves, but, almost exactly as you indicated, Tsugutoshi-san," came in Misaki at that point, "aside from advising certain persons in the City, who, from Touma's own experiences, know about Magic, there seems to be little that can be done about what amounts to a ticking time bomb, if war does indeed break out."

"The Board has had some discussions up to now on the subject, Shokuhou-san, but unfortunately, no clear consensus has been reached regarding how to deal with the matter." Tsugutoshi stated in reply. "I don't mind saying so in my own home, but there is the possibility that one or two members of the Board may be making plans to abandon the City at the first sign of trouble. The Board on the whole is obviously still not looked on with favor by the majority of the City's esper population, following the revelation of the Parameter List … and, as we are discovering even now, it was primarily the execution of the City's General Superintendent's own plans, known perhaps only to himself, that ultimately dictated whether any individual esper would advance in their ability level, and to what degree. The consequences of the revelation can neither be undone, nor swept under the carpet, but it is my own personal wish that one day something might be done for those who are seemingly stuck at whatever position they currently are in their development as espers. That is a topic that I, together with a few others, have already begun discussions on, and, while no guarantees can be given at this point, and it may have to be placed on-hold if war should break out, nonetheless, it would please me if it could one day be realized as a fact."

After a pause, Tsugutoshi spoke again: "Well, I suspect this old man has taken up much of your time up to now, so I'll leave it to you and your companions, Kumokawa-san, to make the delivery of that item I gave you to Kamijou-san."

"Consider it already delivered, Tsugutoshi-san." declared a smiling Seria; smiles mirrored also by Misaki and Ayu.

Some minutes later, even as Tsugutoshi watched the trio of young ladies depart for to what amounts to 'downtown' District 7, a woman, wearing traditional Japanese women's clothing, yet bearing an un-mistakable air of refinement and sophistication, approached him from behind.

The woman spoke in a soft yet elegant tone: "I was otherwise occupied so naturally, I couldn't take part in your get-together, but I can't help but think, … provided of course that this potentially troublesome issue of war get resolved, … those three young ladies might be involved in something remarkable, together with that young man who I only know by name, as you've mentioned it on occasion … Kamijou Touma-san."

Taking the woman's hand in his, Kaizumi replied: "No doubt, my dear, you and I have heard of and even lived by the oft-quoted statement: "behind every successful man, there is a good woman." I sincerely wouldn't mind being present to see what happens in Kamijou-san's case, where he may very well have three good women behind him, if not beside him."

To that, Mrs. Tsugutoshi, raising an eyebrow, said with a smile: "Mmmm, … perhaps one might just have to look up what the laws of the City say about marital relations, before any definite opinion can be formed on that subject."

Kaizumi responded with a chuckle: "Granted in our time, such arrangements were strictly one-on-one … and I for one won't try to 'turn back the clock', but neither will I profess to accurately predict what the doings of the next generation might be. From what I know of them, whatever takes place, I believe they will be just fine."

 

Roughly one hour later after their stop-over at the park, one finds Index and Touma departing the usual grocery which he (Touma) frequents, with a modest selection of items.

Touma remarked with a smile: "Looking back on how things used to be, it feels good to do simple things like shopping without having my debit card declined or chewed up, or the fire sprinkler system suddenly go off, or other 'incidents' as has happened in the past."

Index asked: "Did that sort of thing happen all the time, Touma?"

To which, Touma replied: "Not every time, but it had happened too many times to count. It's probably one of the reasons why most times, this Kamijou-san did shopping on his own; had I taken you or Othi-chan with me then, chances are you'd have been caught up in them, if or when they did occur."

As they proceeded on their way back to the Kamijou Residence, Index spotted a familiar figure a few feet ahead of them, at which, she called out: "Aisa!"

At that call, Himegami Aisa turned around and waited for Touma and Index to close in on her.

"Welcome back, Kamijou-kun. Good to see you again, Index-san." Aisa stated, with a bow. Index and Touma return the bow.

"You happened to know I was away for a while, Himegami?" inquired Touma.

"Komoe-sensei happened to mention it … in fact, I'm on my way to meet up with sensei and Fukiyose; we're going to the Underground Mall." replied Aisa.

"Well, it's partly on our way, so if you're fine with it, we can walk together until you meet the others." remarked Touma.

"Mmm." replied Aisa, feeling rather happy that once again, in a simple way perhaps, but significant to her, that Touma noticed her.

As they proceeded, Aisa spoke again: "Excuse me, but, is it just me, or has something changed about you, Kamijou-kun?"

"Ah, … you've noticed it also, Aisa. A few people have noticed something similar about Touma as of late." remarked Index.

"To be honest," Touma replied, "a few things have happened during my visit to check up on my family's home. Details can follow another time, perhaps, but I'll freely admit; I had help from quite a few people for those changes to take place … including yourself, during the last week of finals, Himegami."

At his recognition of her assistance, Himegami couldn't help but have a slight blush. After a few more seconds, she inquired: "So, have you made any plans regarding the second year of school, or even beyond, Kamijou-kun?"

Seeming to pause for a moment, Touma then replied: "Notwithstanding what was revealed over a month ago by the revelation of the Parameter List, so far as I know, even with Imagine Breaker present, I'm still a Level 0, and, to be frank, I don't foresee anything coming along that will change that. So, while I'm fine with finishing high school, I truly don't see myself going further … at least not in the purely academic sense. Thus, I've actually started looking up what possible options are available, whether within this City or outside. But I've made no final decision on that … I should probably have a word with my parents regarding any such decision, also."

"How about yourself, Aisa?" asked Index.

"I'm not really sure myself, to be honest." replied Aisa, "As you both know I was set up in this City as an esper, after I was rescued from Aurelious Izzard, but, aside from my Deep Blood ability that is sealed by the Walking Church that man gave me (a reference to Stiyl Magnus), I have not yet developed any other so-called esper ability. Also, I like most others am still stumped by the contents of that Parameter List, but there are lately rumors circulating that everything related to that List is all part of the plan or plans of someone even above the City's Board of Directors. So, in the end, perhaps I'm just another person who's been left behind …"

Touma's hand resting on her shoulder seemed to have the effect of stopping Aisa from continuing her current train of speaking. Turning around, she saw a curious expression on Touma's face, as well as on Index's.

"Please stop right there, Himegami." stated Touma in a strangely serious tone, "Even if Index and I don't know all the reasons why some espers seem to go far while others don't, that's no reason to be down on yourself. I'm sure I can speak for Index and myself, and I believe our other classmates will say the same; Himegami Aisa-san has value as a person and as a friend, regardless of any esper level or ability, and if need be, we'll remind you of that constantly."

"Mmm." Index chimed in with a thumbs-up.

That seemed to lift Aisa's spirits. "Thank you, Kamijou-kun, Index-san." she stated, a faint smile appearing on her face.

A few moments later, as they approached an intersection, Touma, Index and Aisa spotted Fukiyose Seiri and Tsukuyomi Komoe ahead of them. Greetings and bows were exchanged by all.

"I got word that Tsuchimikado-chan will be away for an undisclosed time, Kamijou-chan." stated Komoe-sensei.

Touma replied: "That seems to match what he told me right after we returned from Kanagawa, sensei. He told us it was personal business, so those of us who were with him didn't press further regarding his reasons."

"Oh; two things before we head out, Kamijou-chan." Komoe-sensei spoke again. "Aogami-chan was trying to reach either you or Tsuchimikado-chan a few days ago; something seemed to be disturbing him."

At that point, Seiri interjected: "Excuse my saying so, sensei, but something always seems to be disturbing Aogami, and it's usually not something wholesome."

Komoe-sensei responded almost immediately: "It's all right, Fukiyose-chan … a good teacher prefers to focus on the good potential within her student, even if there are present other things that perhaps should be corrected. The other thing, Kamijou-chan; I got word that some official correspondence has been prepared and addressed to you. Usually, it is passed to you via myself as your homeroom teacher, but this time, I've been advised that Kumokawa-chan is or will be collecting it." Seiri seemed to twitch a bit at mention of Kumokawa Seria; whether it was noticed by the others present was debatable.

"Is that so?" stated Touma. "Well, I figure if Kumokawa-sempai follows the proper procedure, she'll probably pass it onto you for me to collect. If she's permitted to pass it to me directly, I suppose she'll contact me somehow to do that. As for Aogami, if he doesn't try again soon, I'll contact him or go looking for him."

"Well, time is marching on, so we'll be on our way." declared Komoe-sensei. "You all get home safe, Kamijou-chan, Sister-chan."

"We shall, sensei. Same to you three." Touma responded, bowing together with Index as the other took their leave towards the Underground Mall.

After a minute or so, something prompted Seiri to speak to Komoe-sensei and Himegami: "Was it just me, or is there something a bit different about Kamijou, when we were together just now?"

"I noticed something too, when I met him and Index-san on the way to meet you." remarked Aisa.

"Hmm, … now that you raised it, Fukiyose-chan, something did seem a bit different." stated their diminutive teacher. "Oh well, I suppose there's ample time to explore that point another day."

 

"I must admit, you've discovered a gem of an establishment; the food selection here is, as advertised, more natural than most other places of which I know, and is very delicious." stated Seria.

"No argument from myself either." Ayu added her 'two cents'. "I shall bookmark this location to remember to visit it again sometime."

At the moment, and having returned from their meeting with Tsugutoshi Kaizumi, to 'downtown' District 7, Misaki had suggested that they stop for lunch at a certain restaurant … relatively-speaking, it is one perhaps not as well-known as Joseph's, but to those who have discovered it, and partaken of what it had to offer, they consider it only a mere step below so-called fine dining at some upscale restaurant which might not cater for those under the so-called 'age of consent'. Suffice it to say, Ayu and Seria were added to the number who approved of the cuisine available.

"I should also mention that, this place is special to me, for a particular reason, aside from its fine cuisine ability." responded Misaki. Ayu and Seria perked their heads up at that. Glancing over to a window from where they were seated, Misaki pointed to the street corner immediately beyond that window, before speaking again: "I probably need say little more."

"Ohhh-ho-ho-ho-ho." grinned Ayu, "so that spot outside is where, we presume, you first met, as you like calling Touma-san, 'your Prince'."

"Correct." replied Misaki, with a grin of her own. "and in spite of all that had happened since then … we all know of it, so no need to repeat it … I wouldn't have had things happen any other way."

"Awww, … they grow up so fast, don't they, Mitsuari-san?" Seria exclaimed in a teasing tone, which, admittedly, she might have never used before now towards Misaki.

"Better watch out, 'sempai' … we might one day catch up with you, yet." fired back Ayu slyly.

"Now, now, you two have some way to go before you attain my level." was Seria's almost instant rebuttal, "… but I admit, the fact that we can be jovial and laugh at ourselves like this, as opposed to how we all were, myself included, roughly a year ago or more, … it's proof that we're all older and wiser."

The mood got a bit quiet, as Misaki spoke again: "By that, Kumokawa-san, I take it you're implying that, since we've apparently succeeded in our objective regarding Touma's misfortune and his memories, we must sooner or later face the question: what happens next?"

"Indeed, Shokuhou-san." was Seria's response, "although I'll admit another thing that even I never thought I would before now, regarding yourself or Mitsuari-san … I'm impressed at how we were able to work together. It might be considered a shame to break up such a winning team."

After a few moments, Ayu spoke up: "We should also keep in mind that we all promised Index-san and Othinus-san that we would be there with them to support Touma, regarding what they were told regarding Shén Fēng and their secret agenda."

"Mmmm, … it looks as if what Thomson-san told us back then, regarding … I believed she called it "the Kamijou Faction" … is indeed starting to take form." commented Misaki.

"Then, it's probably for the best that any further discussion on that item and anything else should be done with Touma present." declared Seria. "I assume you're both up to that."

"Not even this threat of war will keep me away from that." responded Misaki.

"Likewise." stated Ayu.

Just then, all three of their phones gave a message notification; Touma had sent a message to their joint group, as previously indicated, advising he had met with Accelerator, the Railgun and Hamazura, so that they were brought up to speed on potential developments.

"There's one less item to deal with." stated Seria, "I suggest, subject to everyone's schedule, either tomorrow or the day after, we can all meet here again, including Touma, Index and Othinus-san. We can deal with this official document from the Board, as well as other things."

"I'll advise on my choice of day by this evening." replied Misaki.

"Again, likewise." stated Ayu.

With that done, and before departing, Misaki met with the restaurant's proprietor to make two bookings, one of which would be confirmed by that evening.


	12. Future Preparations

After dinner that evening, a message showed up on Touma's phone – it was an invitation sent by Seria for him, Index and Othinus to have lunch with them tomorrow at the restaurant she visited that day with Misaki and Ayu.

"If I trust my instinct on this, this may be more than just a mere social interaction, human." remarked Othinus.

"It's still a chance to go out and have lunch, Othinus-san – I say let's go for it, Touma." was Index's comment on the matter.

"All right, then … we'll confirm that we'll be there at the stated time." replied Touma, even as he composed and sent a reply message. "One thing though; I noted in the message; the restaurant doesn't allow for animals or pets to come inside, so we'll have to figure out what to do with Sphynx, unless it's all right to leave him in the dorm."

Within a few seconds, Index replies: "We could ask the cool beauty, who has a cat of her own, to look after Sphynx, while we're at the restaurant."

"And just who is this 'Cool Beauty' to whom you refer, Index?" asked the former Magic God, with one eyebrow raised.

"By mentioning she also has a cat, no doubt Index is referring to Misaka Imouto." responded Touma. "So far as I know, she's the only one of the Misaka Clones who has a cat as a pet. And a search of my address book … confirms I have contact info for her."

Within a few seconds, an e-mail is composed and sent to Misaka 10032. After a few minutes, 10032 (a.k.a. Misaka Imouto) replied, consenting to look after Sphynx during that time.

Before calling it a night, a message regarding the possibility of war is drafted, intended for Ollerus. At Othinus's suggestion, they could look it over in the morning, tweak it if necessary, and then send it. After agreeing to that, the Kamijou Family retired for the night.

 

The next morning, as Touma eventually turned on his phone during breakfast, he saw two incoming messages – the restaurant lunch appointment confirmed by Misaki, and, rather surprisingly, a message from Fukiyose Seiri.

"What's this one about, human?" inquired Othinus.

"No idea at all, Othi-chan; outside of school, I generally have no interaction with Fukiyose, … unless perhaps it's connected to a few people noticing something different about me since our trip outside." was Touma's reply.

"Another one, Touma?" asked Index, almost with a snarking tone, upon hearing who else had also sent Touma an e-mail.

"It's not absolutely impossible, but I seriously doubt it's for anything like that." was Touma's reply. "Still, she is a classmate, so I'll meet with her, … of course, some things will naturally not be raised, at least not by me."

Browsing the full body of the message, Seiri indicated that she obtained his contact info from Komoe-sensei, and also asked if he had a moment to talk. Taking into account the time for their being at the restaurant, Touma composed and sent a reply to Seiri, suggesting either 10:00am (before lunch) or 3:00pm (after lunch), and that they could meet either at their High School, or at the park by a certain Vending Machine. While waiting for a reply, the message previously drafted to be sent to Ollerus was recalled and, after satisfying themselves that it was good enough, it was sent. No sooner had that message gone forth, a reply from Seiri appeared in Touma's inbox, stating that 10:00am at the park was fine.

Once all messages were accounted for, the Kamijou Family went over and agreed on final preparations for the trip to the restaurant. It was suggested via an exchange of a few more e-mails and agreed that Misaka Imouto would come to Touma's dorm to (so-to-say) pick up Index and Othinus, as well as to collect Sphynx, then they would proceed to the park to meet Touma by the vending machine. From there, the Kamijou Dorm residents will proceed to the restaurant, while Misaka Imouto will take Sphynx with her and look after him until the Kamijou Family made their way back home.

 

At the appointed hour, Touma arrived at the park to see Fukiyose Seiri approaching from the opposite direction. As they proceed to sit on the bench, Touma sensed that something seems to be weighing on Seiri's mind, as, from experience, she was usually not one to refrain from being outspoken, or to speak her mind on any subject. At the moment, she seemed un-naturally silent and withdrawn, yet he made no push for a reason or explanation.

"So, what is it you wanted to talk to me about, Fukiyose?" inquired Touma.

After a pause, in which it seemed she was gathering her courage to face some herculean task, Seiri spoke up: "What might be your plans for next year in school, and maybe even beyond that, Kamijou?" Recognizing that a similar question was put to him by Himegami Aisa, yesterday, Touma gave her effectively the same reply, only omitting any mention or reference to Imagine Breaker.

"If it comes down to it, if fulfilling your plans require that you have to leave Academy City, will you?" was Seiri's next question.

Pausing to frame his response appropriately, Touma stated: "If it's decided that it's the best thing to do, yes."

Seiri still seemed tense as if whatever is bothering her still has a grip on her mind. Instinctively, Touma put her initial question back to her: "How about Fukiyose's plans for the second year of high school, or even beyond that?"

There was a pause of a few seconds before Seiri turned to face Touma, her eyes seemed clouded and unfocused. Finally, she spoke, seemingly changing the subject: "I was brought up to believe there's no such thing as good luck or bad luck and that those who subscribe to such are making an excuse for their laziness or unwillingness to work hard." She paused after her statement, but Touma refrained from saying anything at that moment.

Eventually, Seiri went on: "It's a fact that we don't interact much outside of class, but even if I can recall witnessing a few ... incidents you've been involved in, Kamijou, … in another time and place, I might have considered it at least strange that such a thing should occur, yet I held on to my belief and refused to chalk it up to misfortune or bad luck."

It was at that moment Touma chose to speak up: "I don't consider it my place, and never did, to tell you or anyone else what to believe on anything. As for certain things that have happened to me in the past, whether luck is the right term to describe them or not, I'm fine with letting everyone come to their own conclusion on that."

"But what happens if something comes along that makes you question those conclusions you've held onto for so long … to the point where you just can't hold onto them anymore?" Seiri replied, a hint of bitterness creeping into her voice. Touma felt an uneasy feeling in his gut, as if in some inexplicable way, he was also feeling the confusion and anxiety presently clawing away at his classmate's mind and heart.

After probably half a minute, Seiri spoke again, turning her face away from Touma, yet speaking clearly enough for him to hear: "First there was that … Parameter List … the more its contents came to the surface, even if most of its scientific content is right now beyond me, the more it seemed to make my belief that hard work would one day see me develop an esper ability a lie. For probably the first time in a long time, all those thoughts about whether luck … good or bad … existed, thoughts I'd been telling myself for a long time were nothing but excuses or lies … they've been creeping back into my head, going round and round … and I can't shut them out. And that's not the only thing that has been bothering me over this last few weeks or so."

After a further pause, Seiri turned to face Touma once more, before resuming: "I honestly don't know how I happened to find it, but, in doing my own research via the Internet on the subject of luck, whether good or bad, I somehow stumbled across something … an article supposedly written 9 or so years ago, referring to … **a 'God Of Pestilence'**."

Seiri paused to look directly at Touma at that moment. His facial expression and posture was for the most part neutral, but his eyes were staring almost piercingly at her, almost as if he were seeing through her skin, flesh and even bones, right into her soul. It was at that point that Touma spoke again, his voice soft but clear: "That term you used … 'God Of Pestilence' … it's something I recall my parents talking about years ago, probably when I was literally a child. Right now, the only thing I recall clearly about it is contained in a few of their letters sent to me by them after I first came to Academy City. What was in that article you happened to encounter, Fukiyose?"

"A young boy … supposedly one who experienced things for the most part of his life, that could be described as bad or misfortunate; a few of those things described in perhaps rather graphic detail … although, my first impression was that the article writer was 'dressing up' the content to appeal to the intended target audience. The boy, and by his extension his family, being in some cases looked upon as a source of bad luck, avoided or even ostracized. An grown man who attempted to stab the boy, believing him to be some sort of evil monster or demon, who caused something bad to happen in the man's life. A TV studio's attempt to make a series out of the whole thing … and in all that, I saw a name contained in the article … your name, Kamijou." Seiri managed to say.

"I won't make any sort of joke about there being someone else in Japan or any part of the world who also carries my name, even if that's possible." stated Touma plainly. "Getting straight to the point, Fukiyose … yes – the boy in that article was and is me."

There were a few nigh-deafening moments of silence after that revelation, after which Seiri asked: "Why didn't you disclose this to anyone, even up to now?"

"One: I suppose I didn't want people to pity me over that, and two: until now, I had no cause to consciously recall it." responded Touma. "To keep it simple, that incident did happen, and it was the outcome of many … incidents which actually took place during my childhood. I recalled later on from my parents' letters, as well as a conversation between my father and me in August of this year (another reference to the Angel Fall incident); my father decided to send me to Academy City, hopefully to avoid another scenario like that occurring. Right there is the major difference between myself and virtually everyone else who came here. Speaking for myself, my coming here was not my wanting or seeking to develop an esper ability … I'm not even sure if my parents knew anything about espers or abilities, when they made that decision back then. They genuinely believed that, here in an environment where science was the norm, those superstitions and fears concerning 'bad luck' would not be present to cause me trouble. Yet even while here, 'things' happened to me, and, so far as I knew, no explanation for those things could be found."

Touma paused a moment, before continuing: "Perhaps Komoe-sensei might recall some if not all of them, as, if I recall correctly, she was one of the first people I met when I first came to this City. If anything about the matter still bothers you, and you want to ask sensei about it, I've no problem with you doing so; if you want, I can tell her she has my permission to tell you."

"Maybe some other time." Seiri answered quickly, seemingly to change the focus of the conversation.

As if sensing her desire to change the subject, Touma spoke again: "Then, how about yourself, Fukiyose – what about your own plans for the second year of high school, or even beyond?"

Seiri replied in a slightly more even tone, almost as if some of her confusion and anxiety over what she had been harboring had been released to a degree: "To be honest, I really don't know whether to stay and hope that something changes, or to give up and leave. I'm not even sure right now which option irritates me more."

Touma's next statement was: "Well, I have no answer for what has been revealed out of the Parameter List, nor do I think I can offer any sort of assurance right now that something good might yet come out of it … but, this much I can say, and I think our classmates on the whole might say something similar, ... Fukiyose has a good enough head on her shoulders, so that, even what has arisen out of the Parameter List being revealed won't keep you down for long. You will make a decision as to what to do and where to go, and, as long as it's the right decision for yourself, first and foremost, that's perhaps what's most important."

After a few more moments of silence, Seiri raised her head, showing a faint trace of a smile, as if more of her initial tension has receded, to say: "It's moments like this when I can be proud to consider you a classmate; I wish you could be like that more often."

"If you're no doubt referring to the influence of both Aogami and Tsuchimikado," was Touma's reply, "I won't abandon or cut my ties with them, but since a few problem areas in my life have recently been straightened out, I have no intention to get caught up in their weird antics as before. Tsuchimikado knows that to a degree; it will likely take some convincing to get Aogami in line, but somewhere within even his relatively twisted mind, there must be something that would get him to take things a bit, if not a lot more, seriously."

"Do you really think such a thing is possible, regarding Aogami?" asked Seiri.

To which Touma replied: "I have no reason to doubt that anyone can change and become better than they may be now … and that includes Aogami, as well as anyone else."

There was silence for a few moments before Seiri spoke again: "Perhaps one last thing; Himegami & I didn't press Komoe-sensei for all the details she might know about your trip outside, but … by any chance was Kumokawa-sempai with you as well?"

Touma replied: "She was there, as well as Tsuchimikado and a few others."

After another moment's pause, Seiri continued: "Isn't this the point where you'd start swearing emphatically that nothing even remotely perverted went on?"

Touma responded, seemingly without missing a beat: "Kumokawa-sempai has had, and does have, moments that might raise an eyebrow or two, but, to be frank, I trust her, and I'm willing to say it only because you raised the subject; I admire her and respect her, … so, to use your own words, nothing even remotely perverted happened, and that's all there is to that. This Kamijou-san would be lying if he said he had no interest in that sort of thing at all, but I don't need to be targeted for a beat-down by our classmates, much less probably the whole school, for making Komoe-sensei sad over doing some irresponsible act like that."

It was anyone's guess whether Seiri may have been on the verge of saying something further, except for a familiar voice suddenly blaring out across the space to were they were:

**"Kami-yannnn, …. you're raising another flag, in addition to whatever I sensed two days ago, … AND with the Iron-Wall Girl of all people, … CURSE YOU, YOU BAAASSSS-TAAAARRRRDDDD!"** yelled none other than Aogami Pierce with a maniacal glare in his eyes, his body trembling, and what appeared to be foam flecking off his lips.

Touma muttered, with a sigh: "Well, Aogami might need a lot more work to get himself straightened out than I thought …"

Any further words were cut short as Seiri, trembling slightly herself, her head down and her eyes momentarily hidden by her hair obscuring her face, yet somehow radiating a malevolent aura, spoke or perhaps rather snarled: "Thanks for taking time to meet with me, Kamijou, but you said you have an appointment coming up; you'd better get going. I'll deal with Aogami."

Touma spoke again, with a sweat-drop: "Uh, thanks for that ... he's still our classmate, so please don't do any major damage, Fukiyose."

Seiri's next words sent a chill across Touma's spine: "This shouldn't hurt him … much."

Even as Touma rose from the bench, Fukiyose Seiri shot up herself and and lunged towards their rather-perverted classmate with a speed that, on first glance, would seem almost preter-natural. Aogami did not even seem to register the Iron-Wall Girl's approach, until it was too late to get out of the way, except perhaps via teleportation or some similar means of instantaneous motion. Anything thought or said at that moment was, to say the least, brief:

Aogami: "Eh?"

Seiri: "Divine Punishment."

Touma (to himself): "This is a moment where I hope you realized … you messed up, Aogami."

 

Interlude

Somewhere away from Japan and Academy City, A Certain Siscon Sargent, Multiple Agent and Esper-Magician Hybrid suddenly cringed as if he felt a chill traverse his whole body for a few seconds. After the moment passed, Tsuchimikado Motoharu said to himself: "I suppose if I get back to Academy City one day, I'll find out just what you did, Aogami Pierce, to invoke such a reaction, nya."

End Interlude

 

Moments later as he walked away from the 'scene of the massacre', Touma spotted Index, Othinus, perched upon Index's shoulder, and Misaka Imouto (with two cats in hand), approaching him.

"Misaka was briefed further by the Sister and the Chibi Fairy regarding your plans for today." spoke Misaka Imouto, in her usual vocal monotone.

"Oi, … who's a Chibi Fairy?" retorted Othinus, not amused by that description.

Seemingly ignoring the former Magic God, Misaka Imouto continued: "The Savior can call or send a message later, and Misaka will meet you all back at his dorm, with Sphynx." After thanking her for her help, the Kamijou Family proceeded on to their appointment.

As they went on, Index asked: "How did things go with Seiri-san, Touma?"

Touma replied: "Similar if not the same as with Himegami, yesterday; people are hurting because of what has been revealed by the Parameter List."

Othinus, noticing something in Touma's tone of voice at his reply, interjected: "That bothers you, doesn't it, human?"

To which, Touma replied: "Yes it does, in ways I'm not too sure I understand why. We could probably discuss it with sempai and the others later on."

As they proceeded further, something prompted Touma to then ask Othinus: "Is time travel or at least observing past or future events possible from the standpoint of being a Magic God, Othi-chan?"

Othinus paused a bit before replying: "Either is possible for a Magic God, although I admit I myself have never had cause to actually do it, but even so, if the purpose of time travel is to go back into the past and alter some already established event, such action has the risk of creating a progression that leads to a totally different present position that the one existing now. Likewise, there is no single exclusive unfoldment of future events, but an infinite number of possibilities, and, so far as I know, even if one could observe any one of them via supernatural means, that alone is no guarantee that said observed unfoldment will actually take place."

After a pause, Index spoke up: "Are you thinking of doing something along that line, Touma?"

"I'm not really sure what could be done with that," responded Touma. "We could discuss it further before actually attempting such a thing, but, maybe regarding the possibility of war, could such a thing be used to at least discover the reason or reasons for the conflict … either to understand what brought it on, or to maybe find a way to resolve it before conflict does actually break out?"

"As you said, we could discuss it further, then decide if that course is worth taking." remarked Othinus.

 

Eventually, the Kamijou Family arrived at the restaurant, where Ayu, Seria and Misaki had themselves just arrived and, having spotted then, waited outside. All headed inside to their booked table … naturally, Othinus assumed 'doll-mode', until the others were seated. After settling in, orders were placed all round for their respective meals (Index included a little extra for Othinus).

While waiting for their food to be brought to them, Seria brought out an envelope and passed it over to Touma: "This is something I collected yesterday on your behalf."

"Index and I met Komoe-sensei while we were out, yesterday." remarked Touma. "She mentioned you were collecting something, but I suppose she had no other information as to what it might be. Is it fine if I open it now."

"By all means, please do so, Touma." replied Seria … perhaps rather curiously, she, Misaki and Ayu were, for want of a better word, bearing Cheshire Cat-like grins at the moment.

Without further ado, Touma opened the envelope. There was a smaller sealed envelope therein, together with a letter, signed by Tsugutoshi Kaizumi … to make an otherwise long story short, the letter stated that the sealed envelope contained a cheque in the amount of 10 million yen, representing a one-time payment to him. Touma's eyes bulged as the revelation sunk in … prompting giggles from Seria, Ayu and Misaki … to the point where he reached for a glass of water and chugged down a portion of its contents, before he could speak.

"Now that I can speak sensibly again, … what is this all about?" Touma managed to say.

"Simply put." replied Seria, "arising out of your particular situation, stemming from your arrival in this City nine or so years ago, and your apparently being subjected to a curriculum which would deliberately exclude you from developing an esper ability, the Board has offered this to you as, so-to-say, 'compensation'. Mitsuari, Shokuhou and I merely did the background research, but it was Tsugutoshi-san who approached the Board and negotiated everything."

Silence reigned for about half a minute before Touma, replacing the sealed envelope and letter back into its original envelope, took a deep breadth, before saying to the others present: "Well, granted I'll read the letter over later in more detail, but, to put it simply, … I'll accept it."

"Oi, … Shokuhou-san, Mitsuari-san, mind-read him now … I'm not sure this is the real Kamijou Touma alongside us!" declared Othinus with a frown, even as the others fought to suppress more giggles or outright chuckles.

"It's all right, and it's really me here, Othi-chan." Touma spoke again. "It's probably true that, once upon a time, I might have declined or even rejected this, calling it an attempt to buy my silence over what has happened in the past, and maybe there is some truth to that. However, I'm simply being realistic about things as of now – both in the short-term, as well as in the long-term."

"In what way are you being realistic, Touma?" asked Index.

"I had actually started looking up options for further education since we got back from Kanagawa." stated Touma. "So, as I mentioned to two of my classmates between yesterday and today, while I'm fine with finishing high school, once that's over, I'm very likely to shift away from any purely academic undertaking. I'm nowhere near finished looking things up, but I have seen some estimates of what that kind of education is likely to cost. This may or may not close the deal on what I may pursue after high school, but at least it does open the door to some possible options."

"That would be an interesting topic to discuss further, but before we do, pardon me for saying so, but, … I feel something is troubling you, my prince." Misaki interjected at that point.

After a pause, Touma replied: "Yes, there is, Shokuhou-san … it probably started when Index and I met Himegami yesterday, and Fukiyose wanting to talk to me today, before coming here. Both seem to point to the same thing; people are hurting because of the revelations of the Parameter List, and there is probably not much I can do to help any of them on that." Without saying a word, all present recognized that such an attitude was to be expected of Kamijou Touma's desire to, as he often expressed it, bring smiles to people's faces.

Othinus interjected at that point: "I and even the others don't need to remind you, human; so long as the General Superintendent is effectively in charge of this City, and probably by extension, the Science Side and carrying out his plans, to say nothing of the threat of war between Science and Magic, there is probably nothing you can do about that, right now."

Silence reigned for a few seconds until Touma spoke again: "This is hard to accept, but I've got nothing with which to argue against that point, Othi-chan. In that case, and for now, this money shall be put aside for that future time, but personally, if something can be found that will help everyone else in this City, this Kamijou-san will go after it." After a further pause, Touma continued: "Perhaps instead of holding onto this myself, I should make arrangements to have my parents secure this, at least until I finish high school."

"Considering the possibility that, if war should break out, Academy City could be a likely target, that makes good sense, Touma." was Seria's response. "If you wish, I can arrange with Tsugutoshi-san to have this cheque sent to your parents … alternatively, we could arrange another road-trip, perhaps whenever they return to Japan."

"The road-trip option might be more fun, if circumstances permit it to occur." stated Ayu, a hint of playfulness in her voice.

"I tend to agree with Mitsuari-san's suggestion, and probably for the same reason." chipped in Misaki.

"As we all agree, none of us wants war to occur, but sempai's suggestion that her employer handle things might be the quicker option." was Touma's reply. "Besides, once the issue of war has passed, one way or another, maybe we can one day arrange another 'road-trip'."

"Agreed." was the joint response from Ayu, Misaki and Seria.

 

After the food has been brought in, and lunch actually got going, Ayu raised the question: "Notwithstanding the possibility of war, what might be your plans for the future, Touma-san?"

In response, Touma stated: "Nothing has been set in stone yet, beyond my agreeing to finish high school, but after that, I'm thinking of shifting towards a business- or vocation-oriented pursuit of some kind. So far, I'm not even sure whether such options are available for me to pursue here in Academy City, but I'm still checking things out."

"Shall we assume there is some basis for such an aim, Touma-kun?" inquired Misaki.

"The basis, as you suggested, is probably best explained like this." replied Touma. "As we understand it, and unless something comes along to change that, Imagine Breaker will be with me as long as I live. Granted we are aware, looking back, of how being dragged into one situation after another over the last six months threatened my progression through my first year of high school, it will be virtually impossible to hold a conventional job, if at any moment I may have to go use it in some situation, whether here in this City, or on the other side of the globe. And notwithstanding the possibility of war, chances are some situation will come along where Imagine Breaker is needed, so in all likelihood, I won't simply sit aside and do nothing, but at the same time, I can't just walk away from a regular job or position to do so. I've not considered the possibility of whether I could do that solely for a living; although I recall Thomson-san telling me on our outward journey to Kanagawa that she freelances her magical skills and seems to be able to do all right with it, but I did not pry into how she handles her 'occupation'."

"Well," Misaki remarked, "If you'd like, Thomson-san can be consulted on that occupational ability, as we exchanged contact info with her before she, the Matriarch and Choi-Shi-san departed for China."

"Thinking about it, that could be useful … I'm willing to at least consider it." stated Touma. "Aside from that, I figure the best approach for me is to become either self-employed or have my own business, with staff who can run things, if ever I have to go do things with Imagine Breaker."

"I'm impressed that my kouhai has indeed thought this far ahead," remarked Seria, with a smile, "even if, as you admitted, you may not have not covered all the bases just yet."

"Given what can best be called my unique situation, all the research I've done suggests this is the most sensible approach to my future." replied Touma, "but while it may ultimately be my decision, at least out of courtesy, I will want to discuss it with my parents at some point; either they come to Academy City, or I go to them. Again, I can't claim to have covered all possibilities or contingencies, so I don't mind seeking advice on what else might be required to make this work."

"That sort of 'advice', your sempai is more than willing to give, Touma." was Seria's reply, "and, if I don't have the information myself, we … " glancing at Ayu and Misaki, "… can seek it out and find it."

"Hmm, ... did we just get promoted to exercise 'sempai' ability over Touma-kun?" asked Misaki, sporting a grin.

"This could be fun … we won't go easy on you, Kamijou-kouhai." responded Ayu, grinning in similar fashion.

"You all have the right idea; don't go easy on this human, just because you like him." declared Othinus, with resulted in a few slight blushing faces.

"Another road-trip is looking more like a definite future occurrence." declared Index, to which all others agreed.

 

"Well, my plans … at least, education-wise … have been revealed. Does this qualify me to ask you all about your own plans?" inquired Touma.

"For my part, and assuming nothing happens to this City if war should take place," replied Seria, "the courses in which I'm interested are available in one or more colleges in Academy City, so I can go onto college here, while retaining my employment as Tsugutoshi-san's advisor. Notwithstanding, let's get it clear; if Touma leaves this City, I'm leaving as well … I can still retain my advisor position, even outside of this City."

"Correction there, 'sempai'" interjected Ayu, "if that happens, we're leaving as well."

"And likely, for the same reason." chipped in Misaki.

"One way or another, if we get past this potential hurdle of war, the next few years of your life should prove to be … interesting, human." snarked the former Magic God.

"And no doubt, you want a front-row seat to see it all, Othi-chan." inquired Touma.

"Of course." fired back Othinus.

 

Looking around at the restaurant, Touma remarked: "The thought has crossed my mind that, perhaps one day, there would be a restaurant or similar establishment with my name as the owner, whether here in Academy City, or elsewhere … after all, I do enjoy cooking, and possibly, with the right skills and advice, I could one day channel my culinary skills into a business venture."

"Perhaps with that somewhere in mind," Seria came in at that point, "and assuming I stay in this City, I'm likely to move from my current dormitory to a somewhat larger unit, which including a communal and co-ed kitchen, … in that way, Touma can visit to conduct cooking lessons, in due time."

"Consider us signed up for said lessons, in advance." declared Ayu, with a V-sign from Misaki.

"Ah, … the information collection from the Shén Fēng Society had arrived yesterday." stated Misaki. "A casual browse of it states it also contains details of various aspects of traditional Chinese medicine. My initial thought is the best person who could sooner or later make use of that knowledge would be Heaven Canceller, so perhaps we could share this with him."

"My only advice on that," interjected Othinus, "is that perhaps anything we pass onto the doctor should be … how else can I say it … stripped of any or all reference to Magic, to avoid any possible problems of its magical secrets being discovered by espers who might attempt to use it."

"It's still unclear as to whether the Society's magic, which, from what we've experienced, doesn't seem to rely on mana, can be used by an esper from Academy City." remarked Index.

"Perhaps that could be explored at some future time, but Othinus-san has a point," remarked Seria, "… unless or until we can confirm that, it's probably safer to give Heaven Canceller, as Othinus-san suggested, a "clean" copy only containing reference to medicine."

"Well, can I then count on both of you, Index-san, Othinus-san, to help prepare the "clean" copy for passing onto Heaven Canceller." inquired Misaki to both Index and Othinus.

"Deal." declared Index, while Othinus gave a thumbs-up in response.

"I don't mind mentioning to you all … some of this just might shape the direction of my own future path." remarked Misaki, "From the viewpoint of Science alone, there is much still to be discovered and possibly put to practical use regarding the powers and potential within the human mind. Of course, I know next to nothing about Magic, but just maybe there is similar knowledge on the matter there also. Perhaps one day, some common ground can be found between the two."

"Just speaking briefly, Shokuhou-san, there indeed may be parallels of knowledge that are actually common to both Magic and Science … it's just been that the two fields have traditionally been kept separate from one another." stated Index. "In that case, Shokuhou-san, you can leave it up to Index-sensei and her assistant sensei, Othinus, to help chart your path in that direction." Index suddenly invoked a solemn tone in finishing her statement.

"Oi, … since when am I the assistant-sensei? I should have seniority at least counting for something." interjected Othinus, prompting chuckles all round.

"Well, as for myself, I'm currently all for eventually furthering my studies and expertise in Information & Communication Technology, to keep things simple." stated Ayu.

"In which case, Mitsuari-san," remarked Index, "could I one day seek your tutelage in the finer points of technology."

"I would be pleased to do so, Index-san." replied Ayu, "but like Othinus-san said regarding Touma, I won't go easy on you."

"Uh, granted there's not much we can do about it right now," interjected Touma, "but is there anything long-term than can be done regarding the Parameter List?"

Seria responded to that: "Tsugutoshi-san had mentioned that he and others have begun discussion on a long-term plan in mind. Said plan would be practically impossible to implement, as long as things remain as they are, but some sort of move has to take place, even if it takes years or a lifetime to achieve it. I don't claim to know any details as yet … no doubt, if or when there is something to be revealed, it will be."

Even as they settled in to enjoy their meal time, a single thought passed through Touma's mind:

_"A simple thing such as this … it's good, and worth preserving and protecting. Therefore, no matter what the future might bring, short-term or long-term, this Kamijou-san will do what he can to both preserve and protect it … the smiles of those around me, and my own as well."_

**FIN**


End file.
